Medical product for treating stenosis of body passages and for preventing threatening restenosis

ABSTRACT

A method for coating catheter balloons with a defined amount of a pharmacologically active agent, uses a coating device having a volume measuring device for releasing a measurable amount of a coating solution by means of a dispensing device specifically onto the surface of the catheter balloon.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is generally directed to medical devices havingshort-term contact with the organism, as e.g. balloon catheters coatedwith at least one layer containing at least one antiproliferative,immunosuppressive, anti-angiogenic, anti-inflammatory, fungicidal and/oranti-thrombotic agent, methods for manufacturing thesesubstance-releasing application aids and the use of these medicaldevices for the prevention of restenoses of the affected corporallumina.

2. Description of the Relevant Art

Since the end of the 1980s metallic tubular stent grafts adjusted to thecorporal lumen have been established ever the more for the prevention ofrestenosis, i.e. the prevention of re-occlusion of vessels, the graftpressing from the inside against the vascular wall. Further developmentof these grafts known as stents to a drug-coated “drug eluting stents”is intensively pursued at the time because of positive results inminimizing restenosis rates in comparison with uncoated stents.

These long-term implants substituted continuously PCTA (percutaneoustransluminal coronary angioplasty) carried out since the 1960s andnowadays occupy the major part of interventions performed, sincere-occlusion rates of uncoated stents are in several cases lower thanocclusions recurring after PCTA performance.

Successfully realised in drug eluting stents, the idea of combiningmechanical and chemical prophylaxis was already investigated since theearly days of stents in balloon catheters for preventing restenosis ofcoronary arteries and used in different varieties in clinical studies.

The drug-loaded balloon catheter, however, could not prevail over thestent. The reasons are obvious:

In PCTA the occluded part is enlarged for a short time of 1 to 3 minutesby means of an inflatable balloon at the catheter tip, if necessaryrepeated for more than two times. Herein the vessels must beoverstretched in such a way that the occlusion is removed. From thisprocedure microlesions result in the vascular wall reaching up to theadventitia. After removing the catheter the lesioned vessel is leftalone so that considerably high performance is required for the healingprocess, in dependence of the inflicted lesion grade resulting from theduration, the repetitions and the grade of overstretching. This isreflected in the high re-occlusion rate after PCTA.

In stent implantation the balloon catheter is used as a transport andimplant aid so that also herein overstretching of the vascular walloccurs, but in this case overstretching is only needed for the time ofstent dilation. If the stent is unalterably stuck in the correctposition the balloon is deflated again and can be removed. Thus the timeof the once overstretch is reduced. The reduction in restenosis rateshows that this reduced overstretch time and the likewise reduced degreeof overstretching in stents can lead already to a reduced rate inpost-treatment, despite of introducing exogenous material into the body.This promising advance didn't leave much space for further optimizingPCTA since there was confidence that stents as permanent implants arehopeful carriers of a new preferably restenosis-free era which led to apreferential use down to the present day. PTCA is only performed in lesssevere cases and in particularly severe cases ahead of a stentimplantation. The next goal in stent history is the 100% sure preventionof restenosis. Therefore the search for the combination of an ideal drugand an ideal preferably biodegradable stent has set out. Suppression ofcellular reactions is mainly accomplished during the first days andweeks by means of preferably antiproliferative, immunosuppressive and/orantiphlogistic agents and their likewise active derivatives/analoguesand metabolites. The active agents and/or combinations of active agentsare used herein in a sensible way for wound healing or for its support.

The improvements balloon catheters have undergone recently were relatedup to now mainly to the ability of placing a stent precisely and safely.PCTA as an independent method was widely replaced.

But when using PCTA there are advantages over the stent, not leastbecause thus at no time after performing the treatment an exogenousobject is present in the organism as an additional stress factor orinitiator of sequelae as is restenosis. Therefore there are up to nowlinks to the studies on drug-releasing balloon catheters carried out inthe late 1980s.

Thus different embodiments of balloon catheters were described forexample, in which the outer surface being in direct contact with theenvironment has openings through which an active agent liquid or solvedunder pressure during dilation is pressed against the vascular wall(e.g. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,087,244, U.S. Pat. No. 4,994,033, U.S. Pat. No.4,186,745).

For example, EP 0 383 429 A discloses a balloon catheter with tinyopenings trough which a heparin solution is released to the vascularwall during dilation.

Several disadvantages as a lower uptake of the active agent into thevascular wall, missing control on dosage, problems with the balloonmaterial etc. have kept the option of an exogenous object-free treatmentof stenoses in suspense. Coating balloons analogous to stents withactive agents with or without a polymeric matrix caused also problems,on the one hand in the short contact time and consequently a lowersubstance release from the catheter to its environment, and on the otherhand in the considerable difficulties to bring the coating on theballoon unscathed to its destination, before and during dilation.

Only recently a substance releasing balloon catheter became analternative to stents (CardioNews Letter, 04-21-2006). It involves aballoon catheter dipped into a solution of paclitaxel and aradiocontrast medium which led in a one year clinical study to areduction in restenosis rate from 40 to 9%, in comparison to an uncoatedballoon catheter. For example, such a balloon catheter is disclosed inWO 2004 28582 A1. Though these first results seem to be promisingtypical problems of such a treatment haven't been overcome.

In any case the optical resolution reached by the coating with acontrast medium is favourable, but the amount of the active agenteffectively released and taken up at the site of action after PTCAperformance remains individual and uncontrolled, since already afterintroducing the balloon catheter into the bloodstream starting from thegroin to the heart an unquantifiable portion of the coating comes off.Additionally, also during balloon dilation further parts of the coatingcrumble away and are carried away from the surface by the bloodstream.Consequently, a part of the concentration of the active agent applied tothe balloon catheter doesn't reach the affected site, but can beregarded simply as an ineffective intravenous administration. The amountof the lost portion can't be controlled and thus is not available for anoptimal provision at the affected site. What is left on the ballooncatheter must be sufficient for achieving a promising therapy, but thequestion remains how much substance actually reaches its target and isabsorbed from the vascular wall.

Thus the alternative of a stent free restenosis treatment with thisballoon catheter shall be brought on a new, effective and controllableroad.

Furthermore, the conventional method of dip or spray coating forcatheter balloons has the great disadvantage that it can never bedetermined how much substance actually was applied to the balloonsurface which basically leads to a clear overdosage. Moreover it becomesever the more important in regulatory affairs and for attainingmarketing authorizations to provide well defined balloon coatings forwhich the substance amount was exactly determined. Conventional methodsof dipping the balloon catheter several times in a coating solution orof exposing the balloon to a spray stream or mist of the coatingsolution didn't yield reproducible results, so that the application of adefined substance amount was not possible.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One embodiment provides a coating method for balloon catheters in whichthe amount of the applied coating and thus the amount of the appliedsubstance can be exactly determined.

A further embodiment provides a substance releasing balloon catheter andother medical devices for short-term use in the organism which ensure acontrolled and optimal substance transfer to and into the vascular wallduring short term exposure in order to induce a positive healingprocess.

It must be ensured therefor that on the one hand the active agent is notwashed off from the medical device by body fluid on its way to thetarget site or is crumbled away at the latest when being dilated andthus an undefined respectively insufficient substance amount reaches thetarget. On the other hand the strongly limited exposure time must besufficient to transfer the substance in a determined dosage from thecatheter onto respectively into the vascular wall.

This task is solved by the teaching of the independent claims. Furtheradvantageous embodiments arise from the dependent claims, thedescription and the examples.

According to one embodiment, special coating methods for ballooncatheters include coating the balloon catheters with a defined amount ofa pharmacologically active agent wherein the coating method uses acoating device with a volume measuring system for releasing a measurableamount of a coating solution by means of a release device specificallyto the surface of the balloon catheter.

As a volume measuring system any device can be used which is able toprovide a measured amount of coating solution or to measure or todisplay the amount of released coating solution. Volume measuringsystems simplest are gamuts, scaled pipettes, scaled burettes, scaledcontainers, scaled cavities as well as pumps, valves, syringes or otherpiston-shaped containers able to provide, transport or release ameasured amount of coating solution. Thus the volume measuring systemonly serves to provide or release a certain amount of coating solutionor to measure and/or display the released amount of coating solution.Thus the volume measuring system serves to determine respectively tomeasure the amount of coating solution transferred from the releasedevice to the surface of the balloon catheter and this the substanceamount.

The coating solution contains at least one pharmacologically activeagent together with at least one transport agent, citrate ester,contrast medium, polymer, polysaccharide, peptide, nucleotide, oil, fat,wax, fatty acid, fatty acid ester, hydrogel, salt, solvent,pharmacologically acceptable adjuvant or a mixture of aforesaidsubstances. Possible ingredients of the coating solution are describedherein in detail.

The key component of the coating device is, however, the release devicewhich can be realized as a nozzle, a plurality of nozzles, a thread, amesh of threads, a piece of textile, a leather strip, a sponge, a ball,a syringe, a needle, a cannula or a capillary. According to theembodiment of the release device result some modifiable coating methodsall based on the principle of transferring a measurable or predeterminedbut known substance amount to the surface of the balloon catheter thusyielding a coating with a defined substance concentration or amount andproviding a reproducible coating with small deviations, something theconventional dip or spray methods didn't allow. For differentiating themethods certain term are used herein, as squirting method, pipettingmethod, capillary method, fold spray method, drag method, thread dragmethod or roll method, which are the preferred embodiments.

Not only a method but also a device results from the use of a ball as areleasing device. The corresponding method is termed herein as rollmethod and the corresponding device has a ball with a lead for thecoating solution to the ball. By means of a control, preferably anoptical control, the ball is contacted to the surface of the catheterballoon. Through a valve or because of the pressure of the balloonsurface on the ball the coating solution flows out of a cavity or avolume measuring system onto the ball. The ball is rolled over thesurface of the catheter balloon and thus drives off the surface of thecatheter balloon, wherein the coating solution added to the ball istransferred from the ball to the surface of the catheter balloon.

By means of such a device and with this roll method catheter balloonscan be completely or only partially coated in the deflated or inflatedstate. For example, a catheter balloon can be specifically driven offand coated in the inflated or partially inflated state in the region ofthe widened folds, wherein the coating remains onside the folds afterdeflation (i.e. folding up), so that thus a specific coating of thefolds can be achieved. In order to avoid that the ball damages theballoon respectively the balloon material this material is preferablyrubber-like as e.g. caoutchouc or other polymers.

Other preferred coating methods are referred to in detail further down.

Embodiments are directed particularly to coated catheter balloons with asubstance releasing coating.

As catheter balloons conventional catheter balloons, bifurcationballoons as well as fold balloons or special balloons can be used.

The term catheter balloons respectively conventional catheter balloonsrefers to such dilatable catheter balloons which usually serve to placea stent by means of dilation. Furthermore, it refers also tonon-dilatable catheter balloons for stent placement suitable forself-expanding stents and carrying a removable wrapper on the stent foravoiding premature stent expansion.

Expandable and recompressible catheter balloons with a wrapper as innon-dilatable catheter balloons for self-expanding stents are, however,usually used without a stent in order to protect the coating on thecatheter balloon from premature removal.

Bifurcation balloons refer to catheter balloons for treating abifurcation of a vessel, especially of a blood vessel. Such balloons mayhave two arms or includes two combined or two separate balloons beingused contemporarily or consecutively for the treatment of a vesselbifurcation respectively the placement of one or two stents in a vesselbifurcation or in the immediate proximity of a vessel bifurcation. Foldballoons refer to balloons as described for example in EP 1189553 B1, EP0519063 B1, WO 03/059430 A1 and WO 94/23787 A1, having “folds” in thecompressed state of the balloon that open at least partially whenexpanding the balloon.

Special balloons refer to balloons with pores, particularly micropores,allowing liquids and solutions to pass through during expansion or onapplying pressure. Such a balloon with micropores is disclosed in EP 383429 A. Moreover, the term special balloon refers to balloons with anespecially designed surface with microneedles described in WO 02/043796A2 or to the catheter balloon disclosed in WO 03/026718 A1 with a microraw or nano raw surface for embedding active agents with or withoutcarrier substances.

The term balloon or catheter balloon basically refers to everyexpandable and recompressible as well as temporarily inflatable medicaldevice usually used together with a catheter.

The coated balloons may be used without a stent or with a crimped stent.Their use is not limited to a first treatment of stenotic vessels butthey are also particularly useful to combat successfully an occurringrestenosis (e.g. in-stent-restenosis) and a recurrent re-occlusion.

The catheter balloon can be composed of current materials, especiallypolymers as described further down, and particularly of polyamide ase.g. PA 12, polyester, polyurethane, polyacrylates, polyethers and soon.

The stent may be composed of, for example, medical stainless steel,titanium, chrome, vanadium, tungsten, molybdenum, gold, Nitinol,magnesium, iron, alloys of aforesaid metals as well as polymericmaterial as e.g. chitosan, heparanes, polyhydroxybutyrates (PHB),polyglycerides, polylactides and copolymers of the aforesaid materials.

Preferably the coated catheter balloons are used without an attachedstent, but the use with a crimped stent is possible also. If apart ofthe coated balloon an attached crimped stent is used the stent may bebare or likewise coated wherein the stent may have a different coatingand also a different active agent than the coating of the catheterballoon.

The term coating shall comprise not only a coating of the surface of thecatheter balloon but also a filling or coating of folds, cavities,pores, microneedles or other fillable spaces on, between or in theballoon material.

The coating may be applied in one or more steps, have one or morelayers, includes one material or a composition of different activeagents and contain preferably one or more active agents. As activeagents respectively combinations of active agents anti-inflammatory,cystostatic, cytotoxic, antiproliferative, anti-microtubuli,anti-angiogenic anti-restenotic (anti-restenosis), antifungicide,antineoplastic, antimigrative, athrombogenic or antithrombogenicsubstances are suitable.

As further anti-inflammatory, cystostatic, cytotoxic, antiproliferative,anti-microtubuli, anti-angiogenic anti-restenotic, antifungicide,antineoplastic, antimigrative, athrombogenic or antithrombogenicsubstances can be used preferably: vasodilators, sirolimus (rapamycin),somatostatin, tacrolimus, roxithromycin, dunaimycin, ascomycin,bafilomycin, erythromycin, midecamycin, josamycin, concanamycin,clarithromycin, troleandomycin, folimycin, cerivastatin, simvastatin,lovastatin, fluvastatin, rosuvastatin, atorvastatin, pravastatin,pitavastatin, vinblastine, vincristine, vindesine, vinorelbine,etoposide, teniposide, nimustine, carmustine, lomustine,cyclophosphamide, 4-hydroxycyclophosphamide, estramustine, melphalan,ifosfamide, trofosfamide, chlorambucil, bendamustine, dacarbazine,busulfan, procarbazine, treosulfan, temozolomide, thiotepa,daunorubicin, doxorubicin, aclarubicin, epirubicin, mitoxantrone,idarubicin, bleomycin, mitomycin, dactinomycin, methotrexate,fludarabine, fludarabine-5′-dihydrogenephosphate, cladribine,mercaptopurine, thioguanine, cytarabine, fluorouracil, gemcitabine,capecitabine, docetaxel, carboplatin, cisplatin, oxaliplatin, amsacrine,irinotecan, topotecan, hydroxycarbamide, miltefosine, pentostatin,aldesleukin, tretinoin, asparaginase, pegaspargase, anastrozole,exemestane, letrozole, formestane, aminoglutethimide, adriamycin,azithromycin, spiramycin, cepharantin, 8-α-ergoline, dimethylergoline,agroclavin, 1-allylisurid, 1-allyltergurid, bromergurid, bromocriptin(ergotaman-3′,6′,18-trione,2-bromo-12′-hydroxy-2′-(1-methylethyl)-5′-(2-methylpropyl)-, (5′alpha)-), elymoclavin, ergocristin (ergotaman-3′,6′,18-trione,12′-hydroxy-2′-(1-methylethyl)-5′-(phenylmethyl)-, (5′-alpha)-),ergocristinin, ergocornin (ergotaman-3′,6′,18-trione,12′-hydroxy-2′,5′-bis(1-methylethyl)-, (5′-alpha)-), ergocorninin,ergocryptin (ergotarnan-3′,6′,18-trione,12′-hydroxy-2′-(1-methylethyl)-5′-(2-methylpropyl)-, (5′ alpha)-(9CI)),ergocryptinin, ergometrin, ergonovin (ergobasin, INN: ergometrin,(8beta(S))-9,10-didehydro-N-(2-hydroxy-1-methylethyl)-6-methyl-ergoline-8-carboxamid),ergosin, ergosinin, ergotmetrinin, ergotamin (ergotaman-3′,6′,18-trione,12′-hydroxy-2′-methyl-5′-(phenylmethyl)-, (5′-alpha)-(9CI)),ergotaminin, ergovalin (ergotaman-3′,6′,18-trione,12′-hydroxy-2′-methyl-5′-(1-methylethyl)-, (5′ alpha)-), lergotril,lisurid (CAS-No.:18016-80-3,3-(9,10-didehydro-6-methylergolin-8alpha-yl)-1,1-diethylcarbamide), lysergol, lysergic acid (D-lysergic acid), lysergic acidamide (LSA, D-lysergic acid amide), lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD,D-lysergic acid diethylamide, INN: lysergamide,(8beta)-9,10-didehydro-N,N-diethyl-6-methyl-ergoline-8-carboxamide),isolysergic acid (D-isolysergic acid), isolysergic acid amide(D-isolysergic acid amide), isolysergic acid diethylamide (D-isolysergicacid diethylamide), mesulergin, metergolin, methergin (INN:methylergometrin,(8beta(S))-9,10-didehydro-N-(1-(hydroxymethyl)propyl)-6-methyl-ergoline-8-carboxamide),methylergometrin, methysergid (INN: methysergid,(8beta)-9,10-didehydro-N-(1-(hydroxymethyl)propyl)-1,6-dimethyl-ergoline-8-carboxamide),pergolid ((8beta)-8-((methylthio)methyl)-6-propyl-ergolin), proterguridand tergurid, celecoxip, thalidomid, Fasudil®, ciclosporin, smcproliferation inhibitor-2w, epothilone A and B, mitoxantrone,azathioprine, mycophenolatmofetil, c-myc-antisense, b-myc-antisense,betulinic acid, camptothecin, PI-88 (sulfated oligosaccharide),melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH), activated protein C,IL1-β-inhibitor, thymosine α-1, fumaric acid and its esters,calcipotriol, tacalcitol, lapachol, β-lapachone, podophyllotoxin,betulin, podophyllic acid 2-ethylhydrazide, molgramostim (rhuGM-CSF),peginterferon α-2b, lanograstim (r-HuG-CSF), filgrastim, macrogol,dacarbazin, basiliximab, daclizumab, selectin (cytokine antagonist),CETP inhibitor, cadherines, cytokinin inhibitors, COX-2 inhibitor, NFkB,angiopeptin, ciprofloxacin, camptothecin, fluoroblastin, monoclonalantibodies, which inhibit the muscle cell proliferation, bFGFantagonists, probucol, prostaglandins, 1,11-dimethoxycanthin-6-on,1-hydroxy-11-methoxycanthin-6-on, scopolectin, colchicine, NO donorssuch as pentaerythritol tetranitrate and syndnoeimines,S-nitrosoderivatives, tamoxifen, staurosporine, β-estradiol,α-estradiol, estriol, estrone, ethinylestradiol, fosfestrol,medroxyprogesterone, estradiol cypionates, estradiol benzoates,tranilast, kamebakaurin and other terpenoids which are applied in thetherapy of cancer, verapamil, tyrosine kinase inhibitors (tyrphostines),cyclosporine A and B, paclitaxel and its derivatives such as6-α-hydroxy-paclitaxel, baccatin, taxotere, synthetically producedmacrocyclic oligomers of carbon suboxide (MCS) and its derivatives aswell as those obtained from native sources, mofebutazone, acemetacin,diclofenac, lonazolac, dapsone, o-carbamoylphenoxyacetic acid,lidocaine, ketoprofen, mefenamic acid, piroxicam, meloxicam, chloroquinephosphate, penicillamine, tumstatin, avastin, D-24851, SC-58125,hydroxychloroquine, auranofin, sodium aurothiomalate, oxaceprol,celecoxib, β-sitosterin, ademetionine, myrtecaine, polidocanol,nonivamide, levomenthol, benzocaine, aescin, ellipticine, D-24851(Calbiochem), colcemid, cytochalasin A-E, indanocine, nocodazole, S 100protein, bacitracin, vitronectin receptor antagonists, azelastine,guanidyl cyclase stimulator, tissue inhibitor of metal proteinase-1 and-2, free nucleic acids, nucleic acids incorporated into virustransmitters, DNA and RNA fragments, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1,plasminogen activator inhibitor-2, antisense oligonucleotides, VEGFinhibitors, IGF-1, active agents from the group of antibiotics such ascefadroxil, cefazolin, cefaclor, cefotixin, tobramycin, gentamycin,penicillins such as dicloxacillin, oxacillin, sulfonamides,metronidazol, antithrombotics such as argatroban, aspirin, abciximab,synthetic antithrombin, bivalirudin, coumadin, enoxaparin, desulfatedand N-reacetylated heparin, tissue plasminogen activator, GpIIb/IIIaplatelet membrane receptor, factor X_(a) inhibitor antibodies,interleukin inhibitors, heparin, hirudin, r-hirudin, PPACK, protamine,sodium salt of 2-methylthiazolidin-2,4-dicarboxylic acid, prourokinase,streptokinase, warfarin, urokinase, vasodilators such as dipyramidole,trapidil, nitroprussides, PDGF antagonists such as triazolopyrimidineand seramin, ACE inhibitors such as captopril, cilazapril, lisinopril,enalapril, losartan, thioprotease inhibitors, prostacyclin, vapiprost,interferon α, β and γ, histamine antagonists, serotonin blockers,apoptosis inhibitors, apoptosis regulators such as p65, NF-kB or BcI-xLantisense oligonucleotides, halofuginone, nifedipine, tocopherol,vitamin B1, B2, B6 and B12, folic acid, tranilast, molsidomine, teapolyphenols, epicatechin gallate, epigallocatechin gallate, Boswellicacids and their derivatives, leflunomide, anakinra, etanercept,sulfasalazine, etoposide, dicloxacillin, tetracycline, triamcinolone,mutamycin, procainamid, D24851, SC-58125, retinoic acid, quinidine,disopyramide, flecamide, propafenone, sotalol, amidorone, natural andsynthetically prepared steroids such as bryophyllin A, inotodiol,maquirosid A, ghalakinosid, mansonin, streblosid, hydrocortisone,betamethasone, dexamethasone, non-steroidal substances (NSAIDS) such asfenoprofen, ibuprofen, indomethacin, naproxen, phenylbutazone and otherantiviral agents such as acyclovir, ganciclovir and zidovudine,antimycotics such as clotrimazole, flucytosine, griseofulvin,ketoconazole, miconazole, nystatin, terbinafine, antiprotozoal agentssuch as chloroquine, mefloquine, quinine, furthermore natural terpenoidssuch as hippocaesculin, barringtogenol-C21-angelate,14-dehydroagrostistachin, agroskerin, agrostistachin,17-hydroxyagrostistachin, ovatodiolids, 4,7-oxycycloanisomelic acid,baccharinoids B1, B2, B3 and B7, tubeimoside, bruceanol A, B and C,bruceantinoside C, yadanziosides N and P, isodeoxyelephantopin,tomenphantopin A and B, coronarin A, B, C and D, ursolic acid, hyptaticacid A, zeorin, iso-iridogermanal, maytenfoliol, effusantin A, excisaninA and B, longikaurin B, sculponeatin C, kamebaunin, leukamenin A and B,13,18-dehydro-6-α-senecioyloxychaparrin, taxamairin A and B, regenilol,triptolide, furthermore cymarin, apocymarin, aristolochic acid,anopterin, hydroxyanopterin, anemonin, protoanemonin, berberine,cheliburin chloride, cictoxin, sinococuline, bombrestatin A and B,cudraisoflavone A, curcumin, dihydronitidine, nitidine chloride,12-beta-hydroxypregnadiene-3,20-dione, bilobol, ginkgol, ginkgolic acid,helenalin, indicine, indicine-N-oxide, lasiocarpine, inotodiol,glycoside 1a, podophyllotoxin, justicidin A and B, larreatin,malloterin, mallotochromanol, isobutyrylmallotochromanol, maquiroside A,marchantin A, maytansine, lycoridicin, margetine, pancratistatin,liriodenine, oxoushinsunine, aristolactam-AII, bisparthenolidine,periplocoside A, ghalakinoside, ursolic acid, deoxypsorospermin,psychorubin, ricin A, sanguinarine, manwu wheat acid, methylsorbifolin,sphatheliachromen, stizophyllin, mansonine, strebloside, akagerine,dihydrousambarensine, hydroxyusambarine, strychnopentamine,strychnophylline, usambarine, usambarensine, berberine, liriodenine,oxoushinsunine, daphnoretin, lariciresinol, methoxylariciresinol,syringaresinol, umbelliferon, afromoson, acetylvismione B,desacetylvismione A, vismione A and B, and sulfur-containing amino acidssuch as cysteine as well as salts, hydrates, solvates, enantiomers,racemates, enantiomeric mixtures, diastereomeric mixtures, metabolites,prodrugs and mixtures of the above mentioned active agents.

Basically any active agent as well as combination of active agents canbe used, wherein, however, paclitaxel and paclitaxel derivatives,taxanes, docetaxel as well as rapamycin and rapamycin derivatives ase.g. biolimus A9, pimecrolimus, everolimus, zotarolimus, tacrolimus,fasudil and epothilones are preferred and particularly preferred arepaclitaxel and rapamycin.

Paclitaxel is known under the brand name Taxol® and the chemical name[2aR-[2a,4,4a,6,9(R*,S*),11,12,12a,12b]]-(benzoylamino)-hydroxybenzolpropionicacid-6,12b-bis-(acetyloxy)-12-(benzoyloxy)-2a-3,4,4a,5,6,9,10,11,12,12a,12b-dodecahydro-4,11-dihydroxy-4-a,8,13,13-tetramethyl-5-oxo-7,11-methano-1H-cyclodeca[3,4]benz[1,2-b]oxet-9-yl-ester.

Rapamycin is also known as Rapamun or under the InternationalNonproprietary Name (INN) sirolimus as well as under the IUPAC name[3S-[3R*[E(1S*,3S*,4S*)],4S′,5R*,8S*,9E,12R*,14R*,15S*,16R*,18S*,19S*,26aR*]]-5,6,8,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,24,25,26,26a-hexadeca-hydro-5,19-dihydroxy-3-[2-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxycyclohexyl)-1-methylethenyl]-14,16-dimethoxy-4,10,12,18-tetramethyl-8-(2-propenyl)-15,19-epoxy-3H-pyrido[2,1-c][1,4]-oxaazacyclo-tricosene-1,7,20,21(4H,23H)-tetrone-monohydrate.

Prodrugs refer to a preliminary stage of a pharmacologically activecompound which under physiological conditions is changed into the activecompound.

The active agents or combinations of active agents reach their targetsite preferably by means of a transport agent or as their own transportmediator in a sufficient concentration during the limited exposure timeof the short-term implant.

As already mentioned, a major problem of the embodiments of thestate-of-the-art includes transferring with a dilation time of maximally1 minute and possibly several repetitions of the dilation after acertain pause and preferably maximally 45 seconds and particularlypreferably for maximally 30 seconds a sufficient substance amount ontothe stenotic or restenotic or thrombotic vessel section so that arestenosis or re-occlusion of the vessel section is impeded also in adilation without stent placement. Since with higher exposure times, i.e.dilation times, the risk for a heart attack is increased there is only ashort time left for the transfer of the substance(s) onto respectivelyinto the vascular wall. Furthermore, in “biological stenting” without astent also a repeated expansion and recompression of the catheterballoon for ensuring temporarily at least a slight bloodstream iscritical since the active agent is released in its major part alreadyduring the first expansion of the catheter balloon and further dilationscannot contribute anymore to a considerable substance transfer onto thevascular wall.

Thus special coatings are needed which transfer in a relatively shorttime a relative high amount of substance in a controlled manner ontoand/or into the vascular wall.

Transport Mediators

In order to increase the substance transfer preferably so-calledtransport mediators or transport accelerators are used which, however,can be the active agent itself.

Of special interest are embodiments containing low molecular chemicalcompounds as transport mediators accelerating respectively facilitatingthe uptake of the active agent into the vascular wall so that thepresent active agent or combination of active agents can be transportedduring the short exposure time in a controlled manner and in thescheduled dosage through the cell membrane into the cytosol.

Herein the transport accelerator may also function as a carrier. Severaloptions are possible: the linkage between the active agent and thecarrier already exists and is cleaved after entering the cell, or it isformed on the outside of the membrane for the time of the passagethrough the membrane and cleaved again thereafter, or carrier and activeagent form one entity subsisting also in the cytosol, but not negativelybiasing the efficacy of the active agent.

Such properties are displayed by substances interacting directly withthe lipid double layer of the cell membrane, with receptors on the cellmembrane or entering the cytosol via membrane transport proteins actingas carriers or channels (ion pumps) where they change the membranepotential and thus the cellular membrane permeability. Thus the uptakeof an active agent into cells is facilitated respectively accelerated.

Primarily, the ability of substances to diffuse through a membrane intothe cell corresponds directly to the substance size. Smaller moleculespass easier than larger ones. Molecules undergoing a lesser number ofhydrogen bridge bonds correspondingly also diffuse faster than moleculeseager to form hydrogen bridges. Also the polarity of the molecule isimportant. Taking these facts into account a number of synthetic,semi-synthetic and native substances can be used to change thepermeability of a cell membrane in such a way that the entering of anactive agent occurs optimally.

Among such useful compounds are for example vasodilators encompassingendogenous substances as kinins, for example bradykinin, kallidin,histamine and NO synthase releasing from L-arginine the vasodilatoryactive NO. Substances of herbal origin as the verifiably vasodilatoryGingko biloba extract, DMSO, xanthones, flavonoids, terpenoids, herbaland animal colorants, food dyes. NO donors as e.g. pentaerythrityltetranitrate (PETN), contrast media and contrast medium analogues belonglikewise to this category.

Thus there are two possibilities which can also be combined forsupporting the transport of one or more active agents into cells:

-   -   1. The transport accelerator respectively mediator causes an        immediate substance transfer into cells limited by the exposure        time with the medical device.    -   2. After removing the medical device the transport accelerator        respectively mediator adheres to the cell wall in combination        with the active agent and possibly an adhesion-supporting        carrier (respectively reservoir). Thus the diffusion of the        active agent into the cell is retarded and dose-controlled.

Transport mediators, the active agent respectively the combination ofactive agents as well as a possible matrix may be applied on the medicaldevice adhesively and/or covalently, partially or entirely covering:

-   -   1. The transport mediator and the active agent adhere adhesively        and/or covalently on the medical device or on an adhesively or        covalently applied matrix.    -   2. The transport mediator and the active agent are covalently        linked and adhere adhesively on the medical device or on a        matrix adhesively or covalently applied on the medical device.    -   3. The transport mediator and the active agent are covalently        linked and adhere covalently on the medical device or on a        matrix adhesively or covalently applied on the medical device.

In many cases the effect of the mentioned substances is not limited tothe transport properties, but they additionally display a positivebeneficial effect. For example NO produced by the cell itself is notonly vasodilatory but also has antiproliferative properties. Thus all NOdonors are antiproliferatives and vasodilators at the same time.

Combinations with other antiproliferative, cytotoxic and cytostatic,anti-inflammatory and also antithrombotic substances can be used hereinfor potentiation respectively complementation of the adjuvanteffectiveness.

Similar to nitric oxide is carbon monoxide. In one embodiment CO or NOor a mixture of CO and NO is released from the inside of the catheterballoon through a plurality of micro- or nano-pores and supports duringdilation the detachment of the coating on the catheter balloon from theballoon surface as well as the uptake of the active agent located in thecoating of the balloon surface into the vascular wall as a vasodilator.On the balloon surface there is preferably a polymeric coatingcontaining one or more active agents which counteract respectivelyimpede a re-occlusion or restenosis of the vessel. Suitable polymers forsuch a coating are described further below.

Another embodiment uses coatings on the catheter balloons, and ifavailable, optionally also on the uncrimped stent, that contain CO or NOor CO and NO in a complexed or chemically bound form. In all embodimentsNO as well as a combination of CO and NO, independent of the nature howboth substances are present.

CO is provided preferably in a complexed form, for example as a complexwith haemoglobin, haemoglobin derivatives, haemoglobin analogues or withmetals and metal ions in form of carbonyl metallates. For example, NOcan be provided as a complex with haemoglobin, haemoglobin derivatives,haemoglobin analogues, chemically bond as a nitrosamine or chemicallybond in form of the functional group —N₂O₂ ⁻, in complex compounds withmetals and metal ions as e.g. [Fe(H₂O)₅NO]²⁺, or in form of othernitroxides.

Haemoglobin derivatives are molecules generated from haemoglobin throughchemical modification. Haemoglobin analogues are substances displayinghaemoglobin characteristics in respect of oxygen complexation (namely toact as an oxygen transport system) or of carbon monoxide as well as thephysiological compatibility of natural haemoglobin. Among thesesubstances tagged as haemoglobin analogues are for example cells asmolecular erythrocytes that can be isolated from certain earthworms andserve as an oxygen transport system as well as synthetic oxygen carriersas perfluorocarbon emulsions.

A particularly preferred embodiment comprises the use of haemoglobincolloids which can be obtained for example by isolating haemoglobin frompigs and crosslinking it with dialdehydes as glyoxal, glycolaldehyde,glutaric dialdehyde. Examples for such haemoglobin derivatives and theirsynthesis are described in WO 02/00229 A and WO 02/00230 A. Herein it isparticularly referred to embodiments 1 and 2 as well as the pages 14-16of WO 02/00230 A and the embodiments 1-13 as well as the pages 7-16 ofthe description. Such haemoglobin derivatives can then be enriched withCO and/or NO and be placed on the surface of the catheter balloonrespectively also of the stent. The application can be carried out on ortogether with a biostable or biodegradable polymer.

Moreover, the gases CO, NO, N₂O, N₂O₂ or N₂O₃ can be also solved in oilsor be absorbed in liposomal formulations or be administered indispersions or emulsions. Examples for such oils suitable for serving ascoating materials and for absorbing NO and/or CO are described in detailfurther down.

These substances containing CO and/or NO in a complexed, chemically bondand/or embedded form can further be integrated in or applied on abiostable or biodegradable polymeric matrix which is located on thesurface of the catheter balloon respectively of the stent (ifavailable), or with which the catheter balloon respectively the stent iscoated, or with which the microstructures or the folds are filled. Asalready explained, the term “coating of the surface of the catheterballoon” shall comprise also the filling of possible folds micro- ornano-structures, micro- or nano-needles or other indentations orcavities on the surface of the balloon or in the balloon material.

Other embodiments use enzymes synthesizing CO or NO or activators forthese enzymes, nucleotide sequences as for example DNA and RNA encodingfor these enzymes and enhancing the expression of these enzymes whenbrought into cells and/or inhibitors for enzymes breaking down CO or NO.

Another preferred embodiment is a catheter balloon with or without astent on the surface of which a NO-synthesizing enzyme is located. Thisenzyme can be embedded optionally in a polymeric matrix of biostable orbiodegradable, synthetic, semi-synthetic or biologic polymers, and/orapplied on such a polymeric matrix and/or coated with such a polymericlayer.

Preferably, this NO-synthesizing enzyme is a NO synthase. NO synthases(NOS) as for example endothelial NO synthase (NOS III) are able toproduce nitric oxide, for example from the amino acid L-arginine.

Thus in a further preferred embodiment a NO synthase together with asuitable amino acid, particularly arginine, are provided on the implant.

It is also preferred to provide corresponding activators of NOsynthesizing enzymes with the implant. Activators may be for examplestatins or glutamate. A particularly preferred embodiment contains atleast one NO-synthesizing enzyme, particularly a NO synthase, on theimplant. This at least one NO-synthesizing enzyme is beneficiallyembedded in a polymeric matrix and particularly immobilized on apolymeric matrix and particularly covalently immobilized thereon thusenhancing the enzyme stability and making the enzyme degradation moredifficult. At the same time also a substrate is provided, for exampleL-arginine, which can be located under, in as well as on the polymericmatrix. Furthermore, it is advantageous to provide also an activator forthe enzyme as for example statins or glutamate so that on the implantsurface a complete machinery for nitric oxide production is located.Statins can be for example: Atorvastatin, lovastatin, simvastatin,rosuvastatin, pravastatin, fluvastatin and cerivastatin.

Separately or concomitantly substances can be released from the surfaceof the temporary short-term implant which inhibit the degradation orinactivation of NO. Among these substances are especially those whichfoster the degradation or the inactivation of superoxide anions (O₂ ⁻)or inhibit the formation of superoxide anions, as for example theenzymes superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase as well asinhibitors of NADPH oxidase and activators of superoxide dismutase orglutathione peroxidase.

Preferably, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px),catalase, activators of superoxide dismutase, activators of glutathioneperoxidase and/or inhibitors of NADPH oxidase in combination with NO, aNO-containing compound or a NO-synthesizing enzyme are used.Particularly preferred is an implant with a coating comprising NOsynthase, arginine, a statin, glutamate and an activator of superoxidedismutase or an activator or glutathione peroxidase.

Another preferred embodiment comprises temporary short-term implants,i.e. catheter balloons with or without a crimped stent which caninfluence via a genetic approach the NO respectively CO homeostasis ofcells, especially of endothelial and smooth muscle cells (SMC).Therefore nucleotide sequences respectively genes are transported intocells, preferably endothelial and smooth muscle cells, coating theinternal vessel wall, that encode for a NI-synthesizing enzyme, forexample a NO synthase as NOS III or a CO-synthesizing enzyme, forexample a heme oxigenase, CO synthase (UPG III S: uroporphyrinogene IIIsynthase), 2,4-dioxygenases as e.g.1H-3-hydroxy-4-oxoquinaldine-2,4-dioxygenase (QDO and MeQDO) orAci-reducton oxidase.

This gene transfer provides the advantage that CO and/or NO are locallyproduced in situ where the vessel defect occurred or is feared to occur.The gene material in form of a DNA or RNA, preferably DNA, can betransported into the cells via viruses (for example adenoviruses orbacculoviruses) or as liposomal complexes. For example a gene encodingfor NOS III or for heme oxigenase (HO) can be provided embedded in a pAH9 vector and as a lipid vesicle being able to fuse with the lipophiliccell membrane and thus be transported into the cell. Inside the cellendosomes transport lipoplexes to the nucleus. The inducible DNA is notintegrated into the chromosomal DNA of the cell but remains active inthe nucleus as an independent so-called episomal plasmid DNA. A segmentof the plasmid DNA arranged as a promoter starts the synthesis of theenzyme, e.g. of NOS III or of heme oxigenase which then would produce NOrespectively CO.

This gene material is provided on the surface of the temporaryshort-term implant and contacts on dilation of the catheter balloon therespective cells that absorb the gene material and start the enzymeproduction. Thus it is furthermore advantageous when also the respectivesubstrate of the produced enzyme is located on the surface of thecatheter balloon respectively of the stent. Substrates can be forexample biliverdin or L-arginine. Moreover, there can be furthersubstances on the surface of the catheter balloon or the stent whichinhibit the degradation of NO respectively CO. Among these substancesare the aforementioned activators of superoxide dismutase, activators ofglutathione peroxidase, inhibitors of NADPH oxidase or superoxidedismutase and/or glutathione peroxidase themselves.

Furthermore, the formation respectively the activation of the formationand/or release of CO is preferred which can be controlled also by thetemporary short-term implant. As already explained, the catheter balloonmay contain elementary CO as well as NO in its core, or CO in acomplexed or chemically bond form be present on its surface, without orwith a coating, especially a biodegradable or biostable polymericcoating.

CO can be provided as a gas, a liquid or as a solid. The liquid or thesolid are preferred. Particularly, CO is used in a form able to releaseCO continually. Such forms for continual CO release comprise especiallyone or more polymeric matrix(ces), liposomal formulation(s), COprecursor, micro-formulation(s), nano-formulation(s), carbon coating(s)or CO complex compound(s).

A polymeric matrix is conceived as the embedding respectively storing ofCO in a biopolymer as for example heparin, chitosan or derivativesthereof, in a synthetic or semi-synthetic polymer as e.g. polysulfones,polyacrylates and the like.

Liposomal formulations mean micelle-building systems, wherein CO isstored in micelles and is applied in this form onto a medical implant.

CO precursors designate chemical compounds able to release, respectivelyto build, CO. CO precursors are chemical compounds disintegrating to COor releasing CO during their disintegration or being substrates forenzymes which produce CO during the conversion of these substrates. Aparticularly preferred CO source are CO complex compounds, for exampleout of ruthenium and iron, able to release CO.

Micro- and nano-formulations with CO refer to micro- and nanoparticlescontaining CO.

A medical short-term implant (catheter balloon with or without a stent)may be coated with at least one of the aforementioned CO containingformulations.

In this coating method a catheter balloon with or without a stent isprovided and its surface is coated at least partially with CO and/or oneof the aforementioned CO containing formulations. For this coating COcan be used as a solid wherein corresponding cooling methods forsolidifying the gas can be employed. The use of CO as a liquid or a gas,however, is possible too. For example, CO as a liquid or a gas isincorporated herein in micro- or nano-capsules, or embedded in liposomalformulations. These micro- or nano-capsules can release CO afterdissolution. The liposomal formulations are degraded gradually,releasing CO in the meantime. Furthermore, powder forms are preferred inwhich CO is incorporated.

Furthermore it is preferred that the temporary short-term implantconcomitantly releases NO and CO, or enhances the release, respectivelythe production, of NO and CO. Furthermore it is preferred that besidesNO and/or CO or instead of NO and CO compounds, especiallyneurotransmitters activating respectively stimulating guanylyl cyclase(sGC), are released from the catheter balloon with or without a stent.Fe ions, Zn ions and Ca ions are important for guanylyl cyclase activityand should be provided likewise through the temporary short-termimplant. Thus medical temporary short-term implant are a preferredembodiment if they release at least one guanylyl cyclase activator, asfor example iron ions, zinc ions, calcium ions, CO and/or NO.

As an example a catheter balloon should be mentioned that includes onits surface heme oxigenase (HO) or another CO-building enzyme. HO2indicates the non-inducible and HO1 the inducible form of hemeoxigenase.

Furthermore it is preferred that the heme oxigenase, particularly HO1,is provided together with a suitable substrate as for example heme.Instead of or together with a substrate also an activator of hemeoxigenase can be present in, under and/or on the coating. Preferredsubstrates are heme, biliverdin or bilirubin, and as activators forexample phorbol ester or rapamycin can be named. Particularly preferredare such embodiments with NO and/or CO in combination with paclitaxel orrapamycin.

All of the aforementioned substances are preferably included in apolymeric matrix of biodegradable or biostable synthetic, semi-syntheticor biological polymers, coated with such a matrix and/or applied on sucha matrix. Suitable polymers for such a matrix are mentioned furtherbelow.

The temporary short-term implants include in the catheter balloon orpreferably on the surface of the catheter balloon and possibly of thestent with or without a polymeric matrix and at least onepharmacologically active agent especially an anti-inflammatory,cytostatic, cytotoxic, antiproliferative, anti-microtubuli,anti-angiogenic, anti-restenotic, antifungicide, antineoplastic,antimigratory, athrombogenic, antithrombogenic agent, at least one ofthe following substances:

-   -   a) CO, NO, mixture of CO and NO    -   b) NO synthase, a NO-synthesizing enzyme    -   c) L-arginine    -   d) statin(s)    -   e) glutamate    -   f) activators of NO synthase, activators of NO-synthesizing        enzymes    -   g) superoxide dismutase and/or activators of superoxide        dismutase    -   h) glutathione peroxidase and/or activators of glutathione        peroxidase    -   i) inhibitors of NADPH oxidase    -   j) DNA or RNA encoding for NO synthase    -   k) heme oxigenase, a CO-synthesizing enzyme    -   l) DNA or RNA encoding for heme oxigenase    -   m) rapamycin    -   n) paclitaxel    -   o) heme    -   P) biliverdin    -   q) phorbol ester        Preferred are the following combinations:        a+g, a+h, a+l, a+d, a+e, a+f, a+m, a+q, a+n,        b+d, b+e, b+d+e, b+f, b+f+g, b+f+h, b+f+b+c+d, b+c+e,        d+j, e+j,        k+m, k+n, k+q, k+b, l+m, l+n, l+q, k+o, l+o

The medical temporary short-term implants, especially stents, are usedfor preventing or reducing restenosis, particularly in-stent restenosis.

The temporary short-term implants are particularly suitable for thetreatment and prophylaxis of vascular diseases originating from adecrease in wall shear stress, respectively a concomitantstretch-induced increase in leucocyte adhesion and emigration. Suchprocesses occur often at vessel bifurcations. The vessel implants cancause an increase in wall shear stress and a strengthening or activationof smooth muscle cells (SMC), respectively of the vascular endothelium,thus reducing or lowering to physiological measures thrombocyte adhesionand diapedesis of leucocytes present in the bloodstream. This preventsinflammatory processes and avoids for example chronic inflammatory boweldiseases, as most notably Crohn's disease as well as atherosclerosis,stenosis or restenosis.

As previously mentioned these are mostly low molecular compoundsfacilitating transmembranous transport directly or indirectly. Forexample, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is known for a long time as a carriersubstance for topical medicaments. Its contribution in ointments,tinctures, gels etc lies in its property as a transport mediatorfacilitating the absorption of active agents in the skin, or generallyin cell membranes. Moreover, in low concentrations DMSO shows analgesicand antiphlogistic actions, which is an additional positive effect.

Endothelial cells produce nitric oxide (NO) from L-arginine throughactivation of NO synthase as an endogenously released signaling moleculehaving vasodilatory effects on the vascular wall. Therefore compoundsreleasing rapidly and specifically NO or increasing its bioavailabilitycan be used equally well as transport mediators. Since NO is not onlyvasodilatory but shows also antiproliferative and antioxidative actionsit has additional inhibitory effects particularly in restenosis. Here,pentaerythrytiltetranitrate (PETN) containing even four nitro groups,nitroprusside, nitroglycerine, hydralazines, isosorbide dinitrate(ISDN), 4-[5-amino-3-(4-pyridyl)-1-pyrazolyl]-1-methyl piperidines,benzodifuroxans, benzotrifuroxans, S-nitroso-N-acetyl-penicillamine(SNAP), aspirin-NO donor ester, 3-morpholinosydnonimines (SIN-1),8-bromo-cGMP (8-BrcGMP), 8-(4-chlorophenylthio)-cGMP (pCPT-cGMP),α,β-methylene ATP, S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO),monoethanolamine-nicotinates, phenoxyalkylamines, their derivatives,metabolites and analogues can be named. Other suitable compounds are forexample

Sodium (Z)-1-(N,N-diethylamino)diazene-1-ium-1,2-diolate (DEA-NO)

Sodium 1-(N,N-diethylamino)diazene-1-ium-1,2-diolate

(Z)-1-{N-methyl-N-[6-(N-methylammoniohexyl)amino]}diazene-1-ium-1,2-diolate(NOC-9)

Disodium 1-[(2-carboxylato)pyrrolidine-1-yl]diazene-1-ium-1,2-diolate

O²-vinyl 1-(pyrrolidone-1-yl)diazene-1-ium-1,2-diolate

Sodium-1-[4-(5-dimethylamino-1-naphthalenesulfonyl)piperazine-1-yl]diazene-1-ium-1,2-diolate

O²-(sodium-1-(isopropylamino)diazene-1-ium-1,2-diolate

Sodium-1-[4-(pyrimidine-2-yl)piperazine-1-yl]diazene-1-ium-1,2-diolate

Sodium-1-[4-(phenylpiperazine-1-yl]diazene-1-ium-1,2-diolate

Sodium-1-[4-(ethoxycarbonylpiperazine-1-yl]diazene-1-ium-1,2-diolate

(Z)-1-{N-methyl-N-[6-(N-methylammoniohexyl)amino]}diazene-1-ium-1,2-diolate

Sodium-1-(pyrrolidine-1-yl]diazene-1-ium-1,2-diolate

1-hydroxy-2-oxo-3-(3-aminopropyl)-3-isopropyl-1-triazene (NOC-5)

1-hydroxy-2-oxo-3-(N-methyl-3-aminopropyl)-3-methyl-1-triazene (NOC-7)

and also as an example for the covalent binding of NO-releasingcompounds on biocompatible polymers, or representatively for the groupof polysaccharides a diazeniumdiolate heparin:

Particularly the NO-releasing compounds as PETN having even four nitrogroups to be released are excellently suitable for the covalent bindingto for example an active agent, matrix or other low molecular compoundsincreasing the rapid availability of NO or, if necessary, also loweringit. For example the aforementioned diazeniumdiolate heparin has underphysiological conditions (pH 7.4, 37° C.) a half-life time of 8.4 min.

For example, molecular designers currently couple NO to non-steroidalantirheumatics in order to improve their tolerance and effectiveness. Atthe University of Jena also solid NO compounds are used. Some of themhave very low half-life times. After injection they release NO duringtwo seconds. Such active agents may be useful in spasmolysis of cerebralvasospasms, in coating stents and in an ideal manner for short-termimplants such as balloon catheters.

Apart of the aforementioned substances suitable substances for transportmediation are: Carbocromen-HCl, cinnarizine, dihydralazine sulphate,dipyridamole, etofylline, isosorbide dinitrate (Lactosever), nicotinicacid, propanolol, nifedipine, pentoxyfylline, prenylamine lactate,tolazoline-HCl, acetylcholine, phosphatidylcholine, insulin glargine,gentiacaulein and gentiakochianin, thieno[3,2-c]pyridine andderivatives, benzothiadiazines as e.g. hydrochlorothiazide, euxanthone,garcinone E, gentisin, euxanthinic acid, isogentisin, gentisein,mangiferin and homomangiferin, 2-pyrrolidone, citrates as acetyltributyland acetyltriethyl citrate, tributyl and triethyl citrate, benzoic acidbenzylester, phtalates as dibutyl and triethyl phtalate, fatty acidesters as isopropyl myristate and palmitate, triacetine, anthocyans aspelargonidine, cyanidine, delphidine, paeonidine, petunidine, malvidine,catechines as well as their derivatives and metabolites.

The combination of a transmembranous transport mediator and active agentmay be realized in different embodiments:

-   -   1. transport mediator and active agent are identical    -   2. transport mediator and active agent are not identical, but        support the other in its action    -   3. the transport mediator has no influence on the effect of the        added active agent and serves exclusively as a transport vehicle        Particularly citrates and citrate esters are excellent        components for a coating, respectively the dissolution of a        coating. It has been shown that citrates and citrate esters        favour the adhesion of the coating released to the tissue and        foster the uptake of one or more active agents into the tissue        and the cells.        Citrates have the following structure:

whereinR, R′ and R″ are independently from one another hydrogen or an alkyl,arylalkyl or cycloalkyl group which can be linear or branched, saturatedor unsaturated, substituted with at least one functional moiety orunsubstituted.As functional groups the following moieties are eligible:—H, —OH, —OCH₃, —OC₂H₅, —OC₃H₇, —O-cyclo-C₃H₅, —OCH(CH₃)₂, —OC(CH₃)₃,—OC₄H₉, —SH, —SCH₃, —SC₂H₅, —NO₂, —F, —Cl, —Br, —I, —COCH₃, —COC₂H₅,—COC₃H₇, —CO-cyclo-C₃H₅, —COCH(CH₃)₂, —COON, —COOCH₃, —COOC₂H₅,—COOC₃H₇, —COO-cyclo-C₃H₅, —COOCH(CH₃)₂, —OOC—CH₃, —OOC—C₂H₅, —OOC—C₃H₇,—OOC-cyclo-C₃H₅, —OOC—CH(CH₃)₂, —CONH₂, —CONHCH₃, —CONHC₂H₅, —CONHC₃H₇,—CONH-cyclo-C₃H₅, —CONH[CH(CH₃)₂], —CON(CH₃)₂, —CON(C₂H₅)₂, —CON(C₃H₇)₂,—CON(cyclo-C₃H₅)₂, —CON[CH(CH₃)₂]₂, —NHCOCH₃, —NHCOC₂H₅, —NHCOC₃H₇,—NHCO-cyclo-C₃H₅, —NHCO—CH(CH₃)₂, —NHCO—OCH₃, —NHCO—OC₂H₅, —NHCO—OC₃H₇,—NHCO—O-cyclo-C₃H₅, —NHCO—OCH(CH₃)₂, —NHCO—OC(CH₃)₃, —NH₂, —NHCH₃,—NHC₂H₅, —NHC₃H₇, —NH-cyclo-C₃H₅, —NHCH(CH₃)₂, —NHC(CH₃)₃, —N(CH₃)₂,—N(C₂H₅)₂, —N(C₃H₇)₂, —N(cyclo-C₃H₅)₂, —N[CH(CH₃)₂]₂, —SO₂CH₃, —SO₂C₂H₅,—SO₃H, —SO₃CH₃, —SO₃C₂H₅, —OCF₃, —OC₂F₅, —NH—CO—NH₂, —NH—C(═NH)—NH₂,—O—CO—NH₂, —O—CO—NHCH₃, —O—CO—N(CH₃)₂, —O—CO—N(C₂H₅)₂, —CH₂F, —CHF₂,—CF₃, —CH₂Cl, —CH₂Br, —CH₂—CH₂F, —CH₂—CF₃, —CH₂—CH₂Cl, —CH₂—CH₂Br, —CH₃,—C₂H₅, —C₃H₇, —CH(CH₃)₂, —C(CH₃)₃, —C₄H₉, —CH₂—CH(CH₃)₂, —CH(CH₃)—C₂H₅,—C₅H₁₁, —C₆H₁₃, —C₇H₁₅, —C₈H₁₇, -cyclo-C₃H₅, -cyclo-C₄H₇, -cyclo-C₅H₉,-cyclo-C₆H₁₁, -Ph, —CH₂-Ph, —CH═CH₂, —CH₂—CH═CH₂, —C(CH₃)═CH₂,—CH═CH—CH₃, —C₂H₄—CH═CH₂, —CH═C(CH₃)₂, —C≡CH, —C≡C—CH₃, —CH₂—C≡CH.Preferred are the aforementioned alkyl groups, substituted alkyl groupsas well as diesters and especially triesters of citric acid.Contrast Media

Another group of substances preferred for use are contrast media and/orcontrast media analogues. Contrast media and contrast media analoguesmay partially also serve as transport mediators, having the propertythat they are not polymeric compounds. Moreover, they are often have aclinical authorization, are mostly physiologically not critical and canbe used in such cases when polymeric carrier systems and substancesshould be avoided.

Contrast media and/or contrast media analogues contain additionallybarium, iodine, manganese, iron, lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium,neodymium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium,erbium, thulium, ytterbium and/or lutetium preferably as ions in thebound and/or complex form.

In principle, contrast media are to be distinguished for differentimaging methods. On the one hand, there are contrast media which areused in x-ray examinations (x-ray contrast media) or contrast mediawhich are used in magnetic resonance tomography examinations (MRcontrast media).

In the case of x-ray contrast media substances are concerned whichresult in an increased absorption of penetrating x-rays with respect tothe surrounding structure (so-called positive contrast media) or whichlet pass penetrating x-rays unhindered (so-called negative contrastmedia).

Preferred x-ray contrast media are those which are used for imaging ofjoints (arthrography) and in CT (computer tomography). The computertomograph is a device for generating sectional images of the human bodyby means of x-rays.

Although x-rays can be used for detection in the imaging methods thisradiation is not preferred due to its harmfulness. Preferably thepenetrating radiation is not an ionizing radiation.

As imaging methods are used x-ray images, computer tomography (CT),nuclear spin tomography, magnetic resonance tomography (MRT) andultrasound, wherein nuclear spin tomography and magnetic resonancetomography (MRT) are preferred.

Thus, as substances which due to their ability of being excited bypenetrating radiation allow for the detection of the medical device inin-vivo events by imaging methods especially those contrast media arepreferred which are used in computer tomography (CT), nuclear spintomography, magnetic resonance tomography (MRT) or ultrasound. Themechanism of action of contrast media in MRT is based in effecting achange in the magnetic behavior of the structures to be differentiated.

Moreover, iodine-containing contrast media are preferred which are usedin the imaging of vessels (angiography or phlebography) and in computertomography (CT).

As iodine-containing contrast media the following examples can bementioned:

Another example is Jod-Lipiodol®, a iodinated Oleum papaveris, a poppyseed oil. The mother substance of iodinated contrast media,amidotrizoate, is commercially available in the form of sodium andmeglumine salts under the trademarks Gastrografin® and Gastrolux®.

Also gadolinium-containing or superparamagnetic iron oxide particles aswell as ferrimagnetic or ferromagnetic iron particles such asnanoparticles are preferred.

Another class of preferred contrast media is represented by theparamagnetic contrast media which mostly contain a lanthanoid.

One of the paramagnetic substances with unpaired electrons is e.g.gadolinium (Gd³⁺) having in total seven unpaired electrons. Furthermoreto this group belong europium (Eu²⁺, Eu³⁺), dysprosium (Dy³⁺) andholmium (Ho³⁺). These lanthanoids can be used also in chelated form byusing for example hemoglobin, chlorophyll, polyaza acids, polycarboxylicacids and especially EDTA, DTPA, DMSA, DMPS as well as DOTA as chelator.

Examples of gadolinium-containing contrast media are gadoliniumdiethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid

Further paramagnetic substances which can be used are ions of so-calledtransition metals such as copper (Cu²⁺), nickel (Ni²⁺), chromium (Cr²⁺,Cr³⁺), manganese (Mn²⁺, Mn³⁺) and iron (Fe²⁺, Fe³⁺). Also these ions canbe used in chelated form.

The at least one substance which due to its ability of being excited bypenetrating radiation allows for the detection of the basic body inin-vivo events by imaging methods is either on the surface of the basicbody or inside the basic body.

In one preferred embodiment the inside of the balloon of the catheter inits compressed form is filled with a contrast medium and/or contrastmedium analogue. The contrast medium is preferably present as asolution. Besides the properties of the contrast medium or contrastmedium analogue as carrier or matrix for the active agent such coatingshave the additional advantage of the catheter balloon being bettervisible, i.e. detectable, in the imaging methods. The expansion of theballoon takes place by expanding the balloon through further fillingwith a contrast medium solution.

An advantage of this embodiment is that the contrast medium or contrastmedium analogue can be reused any times without entering the body andthus does not lead to hazardous side effects.

As contrast medium analogues contrast agent-like compounds are referredto which have the properties of contrast media, i.e. can be made visiblewith imaging methods to be used during surgery.

A visualization of PCTA associated with these substances can be regardedas advantageous so that a systemic application of contrast medium can bewaived. This can be the transport accelerator itself or an additionalcolorant.

For example, such contrast media or contrast media analogues are usedfor the absorption of the at least one active agent, and in particularpaclitaxel or rapamycin. The catheter balloon (with or without a stent)pr the folds of the catheter balloon can be coated with such acomposition. Furthermore, such a liquid solution can escape preferablyunder pressure from the inside of the catheter balloon through aplurality of micro- and/or nano-pores thus supporting the detachment ofa coating located on the balloon surface. The advantage is that thesection of the vessel is provided with a sufficient amount of the activeagent during short-term dilation, and that the coating of the catheterballoon is detached and pressed to the vascular wall in a steady mannerwhere it remains and is degraded respectively absorbed from the cells.

On the other hand, systems of contrast medium and active agent,especially paclitaxel and rapamycin, are particularly suitable for beingapplied to micro raw surfaces or into micro cavities wherein such acoating generally has to be covered with a barrier layer which is toburst or to be torn open, until then protecting the mixture of contrastmedium and active agent from premature erosion or premature dissolution.

In order to protect such mixtures of contrast medium and active agentfrom premature release the mixture is applied in or under the folds ofthe fold balloon or on the surface of the catheter balloon havingstructural patterns or micro-needles or other fillable cavities, andthen coated with a barrier layer. As a barrier layer a polymeric layercan be used, as disclosed for example in WO 2004/052420 A2 or EP 1150622A1.

Such a barrier layer may include polylactides, polyglycolides,polyanhydrides, polyphosphazenes, polyorthoesters, polysaccharides,polynucleotides, polypeptides, polyolefins, vinylchloride polymers,fluorine-containing polymers, teflon, polyvinylacetates,polyvinylalcohols, polyvinylacetals, polyacrylates, polymethacrylates,polystyrene, polyamides, polyimides, polyacetals, polycarbonates,polyesters, polyurethanes, polyisocyanates, polysilicones as well asco-polymers and mixtures of these polymers.

A further option of protecting the coating on the catheter ballooninclude using expandable catheter balloons and in providing them with awrapper as used in the implantation of self-expanding stents. Thiswrapper protects the balloon coating from premature detachment and isnot removed before the balloon is at the stenotic section of the vesselwhere it is to be expanded.

Polymeric Matrix

Besides non-polymeric substances for a matrix in which one or moreactive agents shall be embedded of course the known polymeric substancescan be used. As a matrix biocompatible substances can be used which—as aminimal requirement—do not negatively bias the properties and the use ofthe implant in comparison with the uncoated implant. The matrix is alsoreferred to herein as carrier, carrier system, polymeric carrier orsubstance-containing coating.

The following biocompatible biodegradable and/or biostable polymers canbe used preferably for the coating of the short-term implant:

As biologically stable and only slowly biologically degradable polymerscan be mentioned: polyacrylic acid and polyacrylates such aspolymethylmethacrylate, polybutylmethacrylate, polyacrylamide,polyacrylonitriles, polyamides, polyetheramides, polyethylenamine,polyimides, polycarbonates, polycarbourethanes, polyvinylketones,polyvinylhalogenides, polyvinylidenhalogenides, polyvinylethers,polyvinylaromates, polyvinylesters, polyvinylpyrollidones,polyoxymethylenes, polyethylene, polypropylene, polytetrafluoroethylene,polyurethanes, polyolefine elastomers, polyisobutylenes, EPDM gums,fluorosilicones, carboxymethylchitosane, polyethylenterephthalate,polyvalerates, carboxymethylcellulose, cellulose, rayon,rayontriacetates, cellulose nitrates, cellulose acetates,hydroxyethylcellulose, cellulose butyrates, cellulose acetate-butyrates,ethylvinylacetate copolymers, polysulfones, polyethersulfones, epoxyresins, ABS resins, EPDM gums, silicon prepolymers, silicones such aspolysiloxanes, polyvinylhalogenes and copolymers, cellulose ethers,cellulose triacetates, chitosane, chitosane derivatives, polymerizableoils such as linseed oil and copolymers and/or mixtures thereof.

Furthermore, in an upstream step before the coating step ahemocompatible layer can be applied adhesively or preferably covalentlyon the uncoated surface of the medical device or can be immobilized onthe surface of the medical device through cross-linkage, for examplewith glutardialdehyde. Such a layer which does not activate bloodcoagulation makes sense because the hemocompatibility of the surface ofthe medical device is thus enhanced and the thrombosis risk reduced.This coating step is particularly useful when the short-term implantshall be only partially coated. The section not coated with an activeagent thus advantageously has a surface which does not activate bloodcoagulation and is athrombogenic and thus provides much higher safetyduring and after the exposure of the medical device with the blood.

The preferably hemocompatible layer is produced from the followingpreferred substances: heparin of native origin as well asregioselectively produced derivatives of differing sulfatation andacetylation degrees in the molecular weight range from thepentasaccharide responsible for the antithrombotic effect to thestandard molecular weight of commercially available heparin of about 13kD, heparan sulfates and their derivatives, oligo- and polysaccharidesof the erythrocyte glycocalix, oligosaccharides, polysaccharides,completely desulfated and N-reacetylated heparin, desulfated andN-reacetylated heparin, N-carboxylated and/or partially N-acetylatedchitosan, polyacrylic acid, polyetherketones, polyvinylpyrrolidoneand/or polyethylene glycol as well as compositions of these substances.

As biologically degradable or resorbable polymers can be used e.g.:polyvalerolactones, poly-ε-decalactones, polylactides, polyglycolides,copolymers of the polylactides and polyglycolides, poly-ε-caprolactone,polyhydroxybutyric acid, polyhydroxybutyrates, polyhydroxyvalerates,polyhydroxybutyrate-co-valerates, poly(1,4-dioxane-2,3-diones),poly(1,3-dioxane-2-one), poly-para-dioxanones, polyanhydrides such aspolymaleic anhydrides, polyhydroxymethacrylates, fibrin,polycyanoacrylates, polycaprolactonedimethylacrylates, poly-β-maleicacid, polycaprolactonebutyl-acrylates, multiblock polymers such as fromoligocaprolactonedioles and oligodioxanonedioles, polyetherestermultiblock polymers such as PEG and polybutyleneterephtalate,polypivotolactones, polyglycolic acid trimethyl-carbonates,polycaprolactone-glycolides, poly(g-ethylglutamate),poly(DTH-iminocarbonate), poly(DTE-co-DT-carbonate),poly(bisphenol-A-iminocarbonate), polyorthoesters, polyglycolic acidtrimethyl-carbonates, polytrimethylcarbonates, polyiminocarbonates,poly(N-vinyl)-pyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohols, polyesteramides,glycolated polyesters, polyphosphoesters, polyphosphazenes,poly[p-carboxyphenoxy)propane], polyhydroxypentanoic acid,polyanhydrides, polyethyleneoxide-propyleneoxide, soft polyurethanes,polyurethanes having amino acid residues in the backbone, polyetheresters such as polyethyleneoxide, polyalkeneoxalates, polyorthoesters aswell as their copolymers, carrageenanes, fibrinogen, starch, collagen,protein based polymers, polyamino acids, synthetic polyamino acids,zein, modified zein, polyhydroxyalkanoates, pectic acid, actinic acid,modified and non modified fibrin and casein, carboxymethylsulfate,albumin, furthermore hyaluronic acid, heparan sulfates, heparin,chondroitine sulfate, dextran, β-cyclodextrines, copolymers with PEG andpolypropylene glycol, gummi arabicum, guar, gelatine, collagen,collagen-N-hydroxysuccinimide, modifications and copolymers and/ormixtures of the afore mentioned substances.

Additionally, the surface of the balloon with or without a stent can beprovided with an athrombogenic or inert or biocompatible surface, orgenerally with a coating and particularly with a polymeric ornon-polymeric coating. For generating a hemocompatible, respectivelyblood-friendly, surface on the catheter balloon the aforementionedoligosaccharides, polysaccharides and particularly the described heparinand chitosan derivatives can be preferably used according to generalformula Ia and Ib.

Particularly preferred polymers are polysulfones, polyethersulfones,silicones, chitosan, polyacrylates, polyamides, polyetheramides,polyurethanes, polylactides, polyglycolides, copolymers of polylactidesand polyglycolides, polyhydroxybutyric acid, polyhydroxybutyrates,polyhydroxyvalerates, polyhydroxybutyrate-co-valerates,poly(1,4-dioxane-2,3-diones), poly(1,3-dioxane-2-one),poly-para-dioxanones, polyanhydrides, polyester, PEG, hyaluronic acid,heparan sulfate, heparin, chondroitin sulfate, dextram andβ-cyclodextrins.

Balloon with a Crimped Stent

A further preferred embodiment comprises a catheter balloon with acrimped stent.

In this embodiment there are 4 variants to be selected and usedcorresponding to the vessel stenosis that needs treatment.

Variant [A] is a catheter balloon with a crimped non-resorbable anduncoated stent.

In variant [B] the non-resorbable stent is coated with asubstance-releasing carrier system.

Variant [C] comprises a resorbable uncoated stent and variant [D] is acatheter balloon with a resorbable substance-releasing stent.

Variant [A]:

As a substance-releasing system, generally a substance-releasingcoating, on the stent is not always desirable and in some cases theproblem of late thrombosis may occur variant [A] offers an ideal systemfor keeping open a severely occluded corporal lumen as for example thebile duct, oesophagus, unitary tract, pancreas, renal tract, pulmonarytract, trachea, small intestine and large intestine and particularlyblood vessels with a permanent stent without a coating, whereinnevertheless the application of an active agent is optional.

The catheter balloon according to variant [A] is coated with a puresubstance layer or a carrier containing an active agent, and duringdilation on the one hand the stent is placed and on the other hand anactive agent is applied at least along the whole length of the stent,and preferably beyond, which enables a controlled incorporation andprevents an overgrowing of the stent with mostly smooth muscle cells. Asan active agent or composition of active agents the aforementionedactive agents and especially paclitaxel and/or rapamycin can be used.

Preferably the catheter balloon is coated with an active agent with orwithout a carrier system in such a way that the balloon coating extendsboth stent ends, preferably by 10-20% of total stent length over an endof the stent. Thus the active agent is transferred during dilation alsoto the section of the vessel at both ends of the stent where the stentdoesn't reach, and the active agent is transferred all over the vascularwall located between the expanding, respectively expanded, stent struts.

This embodiment has the advantage that the stent surface doesn't have anactive agent inhibiting or killing cells, particularly smooth musclecells, which contact directly the stent surface. In contrast, asufficient amount of the active agent is applied in the recesses betweenthe stent struts so that the rapid overgrowth of the stent starting fromthe recesses and continuing to the inside of the stent which eventuallyleads to in-stent restenosis is contained respectively reduced to atolerable degree.

As a substance-coated stent releases the active agent only from itssurface and not from the recesses of the stent struts or from the end ofthe stent respectively the area extending it and moreover releases it tothe adjacent tissue which should not be inhibited or killed, accordingto variant [A] the active agent is exactly applied where it is needed.It is preferred further that when the catheter balloon is coated at itsdistal and proximal end for some mm over the end of the stent thecovering of the vascular wall with the active agent extends the end ofthe stent by some mm for providing a sufficient amount of the activeagent also the terminal sections of the stent being incorporated in thevessel.

Thus the catheter balloon is preferably coated with the active agentwith or without a carrier and subsequently an uncoated stent is crimpedonto the balloon.

Variant [B] can be achieved when a non-resorbable stent as in variant[A] is crimped onto a balloon and subsequently the stent and the balloonare coated with an active agent.

The term “non-resorbable” means that the stent is a permanent implantwhich will not or only gradually be dissolved under physiologicalconditions. Such stents are made for example of stainless steel,titanium, chrome, vanadium, tungsten, molybdenum, gold, Nitinol,magnesium, zinc, iron, alloys of the aforementioned metals as well asceramics or also biostable polymers.

If a catheter balloon with a crimped stent is coated concomitantly asolution of the pure active agent is preferably used in a solvent thataffects the catheter balloon as little as possible but neverthelesspreferably is wetting and additionally sufficiently fluid to flowbetween the struts of the crimped stent when being compressed.

This embodiment is suitable for a spontaneous release of a relativelyhuge amount of the active agent, since the recesses of the stent strutsand the recesses between the inner surface of the stent and the surfaceof the catheter balloon serve as a pool for the active agent.

The difference to variant [A] consists mainly in the applicable amountof the active agent, as according to the aforementioned method aconsiderably higher amount of an active agent or composition of activeagents can be applied to the stent and the catheter balloon.

For a coating solution hydrophobic active agents as e.g. paclitaxelsolutions in e.g. dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), chloroform, ethanol,acetone, methyl acetate and hexane and their mixtures or e.g. ofrapamycin in acetic acid ethyl ester, methanol/ethanol mixtures,ethanol/water mixtures or ethanol are suitable. Of course also otheractive agents can be used.

It is also possible to add a carrier to the solution with the activeagent wherein polymeric carriers, however, are rather seldom used whenthe catheter balloon is coated together with the crimped stent. If acarrier system shall be used rather non-polymeric carriers as forexample contrast media or contrast media analogues as well asbiocompatible organic substances are suitable which improve the coatingproperties and enhance the uptake of the active agent into the vessel,as for example amino acids, sugars, vitamins, saccharides,2-pyrrolidone, acetyltributyl and acetyltriethyl citrate, tributyl andtriethyl citrate, benzoic acid benzyl ester, triethyl and dimethylphthalate, fatty acid esters such as isopropyl myristate and palmitate,triacetine and the like. Equally suitable are mixtures of thesesubstances. For example the mixture of the polysaccharides carrageenan,lecithin and glycerine proves to be extremely suitable. Alsophysiologically acceptable salts can be used as a matrix for embeddingthe active agent.

Also in this variant the balloon is preferably coated beyond the surfacecovered by the stent. Preferably the coated area of the balloonextending beyond the stent ends not exceed 20% of total stent length,more preferred not more than 15% and particularly preferred not morethan 10% of total stent length.

Generally a thorough coating is advantageous in variant [A] as invariant [B], i.e. the catheter balloon according to variant [A] or thestent and the catheter balloon according to variant [B] are thoroughlyprovided with a coating.

The variants [A] and [B] can additionally be modified by providing anuneven coating by using a gradient, i.e. a concentration gradient of theactive agent on the balloon, respectively balloon and stent, surface isgenerated. For example, a higher concentration of the active agent canbe applied on the middle section of the balloon, or on one or both endsof the catheter balloon, or on the middle section and on one or bothends of the catheter balloon.

Furthermore, only on one position or section of the catheter balloon ahigher concentration of the active agent can be applied than on the restof the surface. For example, the ends of the stent need specialattention particularly in the early phase after the implantation sincethese transitional sections have a higher risk. Here, any combination isconceivable.

Variants [C] and [D] arguably will become ever the more importantembodiments since both embodiments are no permanent implants.

Both variants use biodegradable, i.e. bioresorbable stents. Such stentsdegradable under physiological conditions will be completely degraded inthe patient's body during a few weeks up to one or two years.

Biodegradable stents include metals as for example magnesium, calcium orzinc, or also of organic compounds as for example polyhydroxybutyrate,chitosan or collagen.

A bioresorbable metal stent mainly made of magnesium is disclosed in theEuropean patent EP 1 419 793 B1. The German disclosure describes stentsmade of magnesium alloys and zinc alloys. Bioresorbable stents made ofmagnesium, calcium, titanium, zirconium, niobium, tantalum, zinc orsilicon or of alloys or mixtures of the aforementioned substances aredisclosed in the German patent application DE 198 56 983 A1. Explicitexamples for stents made of a zinc-calcium alloy are disclosed.

Further bioresorbable stents made of magnesium, titanium, zirconium,niobium, tantalum, zinc and/or silicon as component A and lithium,potassium, calcium, manganese and/or iron as component B are describedin the European patent application EP 0 966 979 A2. Explicit examplesare disclosed for stents made of a zinc-titanium alloy with a titaniumpercentage by weight of 0.1 to 1% and a zinc-calcium alloy with a zincpercentage per weight of 21:1.

A biodegradable stent made of the organic compound polyhydroxybutyrate(PHB) and other polyhydroxyalkanoates is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.6,548,569 B1, U.S. Pat. No. 5,935,506, U.S. Pat. No. 6,623,749 B2, U.S.Pat. No. 6,838,493 B2 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,867,247 B2.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,245,103 B1 further mentions polydioxanones,polycaprolactones, polygluconates, poly(lactic acid)-polyethyleneoxide-copolymers, modified cellulose, collagen, poly(hydroxybutyrate),polyanhydrides, polyphosphoesters and polyamino acids as other suitablebiodegradable material for stents.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,991,647 B2 further lists polyglycolic acid,polylactides, polyphosphate esters and poly-ε-caprolactone as eligiblebiodegradable organic polymers.

Basically all biodegradable stents can be produced from the followingsubstances or mixtures of the following substances:

polyvalerolactones, poly-ε-decalactones, polylactides, polyglycolides,copolymers of the polylactides and polyglycolides, poly-ε-caprolactone,polyhydroxybutyric acid, polyhydroxybutyrates, polyhydroxyvalerates,polyhydroxybutyrate-co-valerates, poly(1,4-dioxane-2,3-diones),poly(1,3-dioxane-2-one), poly-para-dioxanones, polyanhydrides such aspolymaleic anhydrides, polyhydroxymethacrylates, fibrin,polycyanoacrylates, polycaprolactonedimethylacrylates, poly-β-maleicacid, polycaprolactonebutylacrylates, multiblock polymers such as fromoligocaprolactonedioles and oligodioxanonedioles, polyetherestermultiblock polymers such as PEG and poly(butyleneterephtalates),polypivotolactones, polyglycolic acid trimethyl-carbonates,polycaprolactone-glycolides, poly(g-ethylglutamate),poly(DTH-iminocarbonate), poly(DTE-co-DT-carbonate),poly(bisphenol-A-iminocarbonate), polyorthoesters, polyglycolic acidtrimethyl-carbonates, polytrimethylcarbonates, pa lyiminocarbonates,poly(N-vinyl)-pyrrolidone, polyvinylalcoholes, polyesteramides,glycolated polyesters, polyphosphoesters, polyphosphazenes,poly[p-carboxyphenoxy)propane], polyhydroxypentanoic acid,polyethyleneoxide-propyleneoxide, soft polyurethanes, polyurethaneshaving amino acid residues in the backbone, polyether esters such aspolyethyleneoxide, polyalkeneoxalates, polyorthoesters as well as theircopolymers, carrageenanes, fibrinogen, starch, collagen, protein basedpolymers, polyamino acids, synthetic polyamino acids, zein, modifiedzein, polyhydroxyalkanoates, pectic acid, actinic acid, modified andnon-modified fibrin and casein, carboxymethyl sulfate, albumin,hyaluronic acid, heparan sulfates, heparin, chondroitine sulfate,dextran, β-cyclodextrines, and copolymers with PEG andpolypropyleneglycol, gummi arabicum, guar, gelatine, collagen,collagen-N-hydroxysuccinimide, modifications and copolymers of theaforementioned substances.

In variant [C] such a bioresorbable stent made of metal or organicpolymers is criped onto the coated catheter balloon.

The coating of the catheter balloon is carried out similar to variant[A]. Variants [C] and [D] have the advantage that the stent dissolvesitself completely after a period of a few weeks up to ca. 18 months andthus no permanent exogenous material remains in the patient that mightcause chronic inflammations. Via the coated stent a sufficient amount ofactive agent is applied during dilation so that the stent in the firstplace can be incorporated in a controlled manner and only after theincorporation starts disintegrating in such a way that no fragments canbe washed away through the vessel respectively the bloodstream.

In variant [D] the active agent or the combination of active agents canbe applied to the surface of the stent as a pure substance layer, or canbe embedded on the surface of the stent in a non-polymeric matrix as forexample a contrast medium, composition of contrast media or contrastmedium analogue, or be present in a polymeric carrier on the surface ofthe stent as for example one of the aforementioned biodegradablepolymers, and/or be embedded into the biodegradable stent materialitself.

Thereby, especially in variant [D] a plethora of options is given forapplying or embedding one or more active agents on or into abiodegradable stent. Of course there is also the option to embed one ormore active agents into the biodegradable material, i.e. into the stentitself, and to cover the stent additionally with an active agent or witha polymeric or non-polymeric carrier containing one or more activeagents. Moreover, the stent or the coating containing the active agentcan be provided with a biodegradable barrier layer or a hemocompatiblelayer so that two-layer systems or also multi-layer systems are possibleembodiments.

Furthermore, also combinations of active agents are conceivable in whicha combination of active agents is applied into or onto the stent, or acombination of active agents is generated when another active agent isin the stent than on the stent.

Moreover, variants [B] and [D] offer an option of applying a combinationof active agents when another active agent is on the catheter balloonthan on the stent.

On the catheter balloon an active agent is preferably applied whichbecomes effective during a few hours or days after dilation, wherein onthe stent or in the biodegradable stent a second active agent can beapplied or embedded in another concentration which yields long-termeffects and is released during the time of biodegradation of the stent.

It is particularly preferred that there is a cytotoxic dosage of anactive agent on the catheter balloon and on the stent and/or in thebiodegradable stent a cytostatic dosage of the same or of another activeagent.

A particularly preferred embodiment contains paclitaxel on the catheterballoon in a cytotoxic dosage and in a polymeric coating of a metalstent or in a biodegradable coating of the bioresorbable stent in acytostatic concentration.

A further particularly preferred embodiment is a combination ofpaclitaxel in a cytotoxic or a cytostatic dosage on the catheter balloonand a preferably cytostatic dosage of rapamycin on or in thebiodegradable stent.

The last combinations allow for a combinational therapy with a rapidlyreleased active agent in a preferably high and/or cytotoxicconcentration and a gradually released active agent in a preferablylower and/or cytostatic concentration.

In the used biostable (non-resorbable) as well as in the biodegradablestents it is preferred to provide a hemocompatible base coating. This isparticularly advantageous in non-resorbable stents since these long-termimplants should be permanently hemocompatible. This hemocompatiblecoating ensures that with the fading out of the effect of the activeagent and the degradation of the matrix no reactions directed to thesubsisting exogenous surface occur that in the long run may also lead toa re-occlusion of the blood vessel. The hemocompatible coating directlycovering the stent includes preferably of heparin of native origin andalso of synthetically produced derivatives with different degrees ofsulfation and acetylation in the molecular weight range from thepentasaccharide responsible for the antithrombotic effect up to thestandard molecular weight of commercially available heparin, heparansulfates and their derivatives, oligo- and polysaccharides of theerythrocyte glycocalix reproducing perfectly the athrombogenic surfaceof erythrocytes, since here in contrast to phosphorylcholine the realcontact between blood and erythrocyte surface takes place,oligosaccharides, polysaccharides, completely desulfated andN-reacetylated heparin, desulfated and N-reacetylated heparin,N-carboxymethylated and/or partially N-acetylated chitosan, polyacrylicacid, polyvinylpyrrolidone and/or polyethylene glycol as well ascompositions of these substances. These stents are produced with ahemocompatible coating by providing conventional generally uncoatedstents and preferably applying covalently a hemocompatible layer whichmasks permanently the surface of the implant after the release of theactive agent and thus after the fading out of the actions of the activeagent and the degradation of the matrix. Therefore this hemocompatiblecoating is applied directly to the surface of the stent.

Thus a preferred embodiment relates to a stent of any material thesurface of which is masked by the application of glycocalix componentsfrom blood cells, esothelial cells and mesothelial cells. The glycocalixis the outmost layer of for example blood cells, esothelial cells andmesothelial cells by which these cells become blood-friendly(hemocompatible). The components of this outmost layer (glycocalix) ofblood cells, esothelial cells and/or mesothelial cells are preferablyenzymatically severed from the cell surface, separated from the cellsand used as a coating material for the stents. Among these glycocalixcomponents are oligosaccharide, polysaccharide and lipid components ofglycoproteins, glycolipids and proteoglycans such as glycophorins,glycosphingolipids, hyaluronic acids, chondroitin sulfates, dermatansulfates, heparan sulfates and also keratan sulfates. Methods forisolation and use of these substances as a coating material aredescribed in detail in the European patent EP 1 152 778 B1 by thecompany founders of Hemoteq AG, Mr. Michael Hoffmann, PhD, and Mr.Roland Horres, MSc. The covalent binding is the same as in hemoparin(see Examples No. 9, 14).

Further preferred embodiments have an undermost coating applied directlyon the balloon surface of desulfated and N-reacetylated heparin and/orN-carboxymethylated and/or partially N-acetylated chitosan. Thesecompounds as well as the glycocalix components have been shown in avariety of studies as an excellent hemocompatible coating and render thesurface blood-friendly after the superior active agent- and/orcarrier-containing layers have been eliminated or biologically degraded.Such particularly preferred materials for the coating of the stentsurface are disclosed in European patent No. EP 1 501 565 B1 of thecompany Hemoteq AG. On this inferior hemocompatible layer one or moreactive agent-containing layers and/or carrier or polymeric layers withor without an active agent are applied.

These heparin or chitosan derivatives are polysaccharides according tothe general formula Ia

as well as structurally related polysaccharides of the general formulaIb

The polysaccharides according to formula Ia have molecular weights from2 kD to 400 kD, preferably from 5 kD to 150 kD, more preferably from 10kD to 100 kD, and particularly preferably from 30 kD to 80 kD. Thepolysaccharides according to formula Ib have molecular weights from 2 kDto 15 kD, preferably from 4 kD to 13 kD, more preferably from 6 kD to 12kD, and particularly preferably from 8 kD to 11 kD. The variable n is aninteger ranging from 4 to 1050. Preferably, n is an integer from 9 to400, more preferably from 14 to 260, and particularly preferably aninteger between 19 and 210.

The general formulas Ia and Ib represent a disaccharide, which is to beseen as a basic unit of the polysaccharide and forms the polysaccharideby stringing together said basic unit n times. Said basic unitcomprising two sugar molecules does not intend to suggest that thegeneral formulas Ia and Ib only relate to polysaccharides having an evennumber of sugar molecules. Of course, the general formula Ia and theformula Ib also comprise polysaccharides having an odd number of sugarunits. Hydroxy groups are present as terminal groups of theoligosaccharides and polysaccharides, respectively.

The groups Y and Z, independently of each other, represent the followingchemical acyl or carboxyalkyl groups: —CHO, —COCH₃, —COC₂H₅, —COC₃H₇,—COC₄H₉, —COC₅H₁₁, —COCH(CH₃)₂, —COCH₂CH(CH₃)₂, —COCH(CH₃)C₂H₅,—COC(CH₃)₃, —CH₂COO⁻, —C₂H₄COO⁻, —C₃H₆COO⁻, —C₄H₈COO⁻.

Preferred are the acyl groups —COCH₃, —COC₂H₅, —COC₃H₇ and thecarboxyalkyl groups —CH₂COO⁻, —C₂H₄COO⁻, —C₃H₆COO⁻. More preferred arethe acetyl and propanoyl groups and the carboxymethyl and carboxyethylgroups. Particularly preferred are the acetyl group and thecarboxymethyl group.

In addition, it is preferred that the group Y represents an acyl group,and the group Z represents a carboxyalkyl group. It is more preferred ifY is a group —COCH₃, —COC₂H₅ or —COC₃H₇ and in particular —COCH₃.Moreover, it is further preferred if Z is a carboxyethyl orcarboxymethyl group, the carboxymethyl group being particularlypreferred.

The disaccharide basic unit shown by formula Ia comprises each asubstituent Y and a further group Z. This is to make clear that thepolysaccharide comprises two different groups, namely Y and Z. Herein,the general formula Ia should not only comprise polysaccharidescontaining the groups Y and Z in a strictly alternating sequence, whichwould result from stringing together the disaccharide basic units, butalso polysaccharides carrying the groups Y and Z in a completely randomsequence at the amino groups. Further, the general formula Ia shouldalso comprise polysaccharides containing the groups Y and Z in differentnumbers. The ratios of the number of Y groups to the number of X groupscan be between 70%:30%, preferably between 60%:40%, and particularlypreferably between 45%:55%. Especially preferred are polysaccharides ofthe general formula Ia carrying on substantially half of the aminogroups the Y residue and on the other half of the amino groups the Zresidue in a merely random distribution. The term “substantially half”means exactly 50% in the most suitable case but should also comprise therange from 45% to 55% and especially from 48% to 52% as well.

Preferred are the compounds of the general formula Ia, wherein thegroups Y and Z have the following meanings:

Y=—CHO and Z=—C₂H₄COO⁻

Y=—CHO and Z=—CH₂COO⁻

Y=—COCH₃ and Z=—C₂H₄COO⁻

Y=—COCH₃ and Z—CH₂COO⁻

Y=—COC₂H₅ and Z=—C₂H₄COO⁻

Y=—COC₂H₅ and Z=—CH₂COO⁻

Especially preferred are the compounds of the general formula Ia,wherein the groups Y and Z have the following meanings:

Y=—CHO and Z=—C₂H₄COO⁻

Y=—COCH₃ and Z=—CH₂COO⁻

Especially preferred are the compounds of the general formula Ib,wherein Y is one of the following groups: —CHO, —COCH₃, —COC₂H₅ or—COC₃H₇. Further preferred are the groups —CHO, —COCH₃, —COC₂H₅ andespecially preferred is the group —COCH₃.

The compounds of the general formula Ib contain only a minor amount offree amino groups. As with the ninhydrin test free amino groups couldnot be detected anymore, it can be concluded due to the sensitivity ofthis test, that less than 2%, preferred less than 1% and especiallypreferred less than 0.5% of all of —NH—Y groups are present as freeamino groups, i.e. at this low percentage of the groups —NH—Y that Yrepresents hydrogen.

As the polysaccharides of the general formula Ia and Ib containcarboxylate groups and amino groups, the general formulas Ia and Ib alsocomprise alkali and alkaline earth metal salts of the respectivepolysaccharides. Thus, alkali metal salts such as the sodium salt,potassium salt, lithium salt or alkaline earth metal salts such as themagnesium salt or calcium salt can be mentioned. Further, with ammonia,primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary amines, pyridine andpyridine derivatives, ammonium salts, preferably alkyl ammonium saltsand pyridinium salts can be generated. The bases forming salts with thepolysaccharides include inorganic and organic bases such as NaOH, KOH,LiOH, CaCO₃, Fe(OH)₃, NH₄OH, tetraalkyl ammonium hydroxides and similarcompounds.

The compounds of the general formula Ib can be prepared from heparin orheparan sulfates by first substantially complete desulfation of thepolysaccharide and subsequently substantially complete N-acylation. Theterm “substantially completely desulfated” refers to a desulfationdegree of above 90%, preferred above 95% and especially preferred above98%. The desulfation degree can be determined according to the so calledninhydrin test which detects free amino groups. The desulfation takesplace to the extent that with DMMB (dimethylmethylene blue) no colorreaction is obtained. This color test is suitable for the detection ofsulfated polysaccharides but its detection limit is not known intechnical literature. The desulfation can be carried out for example bypyrolysis of the pyridinium salt in a solvent mixture. Especially amixture of DMSO, 1,4-dioxane and methanol has proven of value.

Heparan sulfates as well as heparin were desulfated via total hydrolysisand subsequently reacylated. Thereafter the number of sulfate groups perdisaccharide unit (S/D) was determined by ¹³C-NMR. The following table 1shows these results on the example of heparin and desulfated,reacetylated heparin (Ac-heparin).

TABLE 1 Distribution of functional groups per disaccharide unit on theexample of heparin and Ac-heparin as determined by ¹³C-NMR-measurements.2-S 6-S 3-S NS N-Ac NH₂ S/D Heparin 0.63 0.88 0.05 0.90 0.08 0.02 2.47Ac-heparin 0.03 0 0 0 1.00 — 0.03 2-S, 3-S, 6-S: sulfate groups inposition 2, 3 or 6 NS: sulfate groups on the amino groups N-Ac: acetylgroups on the amino groups NH₂: free amino groups S/D: sulfate groupsper disaccharide unit

A sulfate content of about 0.03 sulfate groups/disaccharide unit (S/D)in the case of Ac-heparin in comparison with about 2.5 sulfategroups/disaccharide unit in the case of heparin was reproduciblyobtained.

These compounds of the general formulas Ia and Ib have a content ofsulfate groups per disaccharide unit of less than 0.2, preferred lessthan 0.07, more preferred less than 0.05 and especially preferred lessthan 0.03 sulfate groups per disaccharide unit.

Substantially completely N-acylated refers to a degree of N-acylation ofabove 94%, preferred above 97% and especially preferred above 98%. Theacylation runs completely in such a way that with the ninhydrin reactionfor detection of free amino groups no colour reaction is obtainedanymore. As acylation agents carboxylic acid chlorides, -bromides or-anhydrides are preferably used. For example, acetic anhydride,propionic anhydride, butyric anhydride, acetic acid chloride, propionicacid chloride or butyric acid chloride are suitable for the synthesis ofacylated compounds. Especially suitable are carboxylic anhydrides asacylation agents.

Peptides, Nucleotides, Saccharides

Furthermore, peptides, proteins, nucleotides and saccharides are verysuitable matrix materials which on the one hand can embed active agentsand on the other hand show a certain affinity to the cell wall and canbe biologically degraded after the transfer onto the cell wall.

Examples for such compounds can be chitosan, chitin, glycosamino glycansas heparin, dermatan sulfates, heparan sulfates, chondroitin sulfate andhyaluronic acid, collagen, carrageenan, agar-agar, carob gum, fibrin,cellulose, rayon, peptides with 50 to 500 amino acids, nucleotides with20 to 300 bases and saccharides with 20 to 400 sugar molecules. Suchcarriers have a certain affinity to biological tissue and can provide asufficient transfer of the active agent onto the vascular wall duringshort-term dilation.

Preferred are polysaccharides with a molecular weight from 2 kD to 400kD, preferably from 5 kD to 150 kD, more preferably from 10 kD to 100 kDand particularly preferably from 30 kD to 80 kD. The preferred oligo-and/or polysaccharides are characterized in that they contain a greatnumber of N-acylglucosamine or N-acylgalactosamine molecules asmonomers. This means that 40 to 60%, preferably 45-55% and particularlypreferably 48-52% of the monomers are N-acylglucosamine orN-acylgalactosamine and that substantially the rest of the sugarmonomers each have a carboxyl residue. The oligo- and/or polysaccharidesusually thus includes over 95%, preferably over 98% of only two sugarmonomers wherein one monomer carries a carboxyl residue and the otherone a N-acyl residue.

A sugar monomer of the preferred oligo- and/or polysaccharides isN-acylglucosamine or N-acylgalactosamine, preferably N-acetylglucosamineor N-acetylgalactosamine, and the other one is an uronic acid,preferably glucuronic acid and iduronic acid.

Preferred are oligosaccharides and/or polysaccharides substantiallyinclude the sugar glucosamine resp. galactosamine, substantially thehalf of the sugar units carrying an N-acyl group, preferably an N-acetylgroup, and the other half of the glucosamine units carrying a carboxylgroup directly bonded via the amino group or bonded via one or moremethylenyl groups. These carboxylic acid groups bonded to the aminogroup are preferably carboxymethyl or carboxyethyl groups. Further arepreferred oligosaccharides and/or polysaccharides, wherein substantiallythe half, i.e. 48-52%, preferred 49-51% and especially preferred49.5-50.5%, include N-acylglucosamine resp. N-acylgalactosamine,preferably of N-acetylglucosamine or N-acetylgalactosamine, andsubstantially the other half thereof includes an uronic acid, preferablyglucuronic acid and iduronic acid. Particularly preferred areoligosaccharides and/or polysaccharides showing a substantiallyalternating sequence (i.e. despite of the statistic deviation ratio inthe case of the alternating connection) of the two sugar units. Theratio of the deviated connections should be under 1%, preferred under0.1%.

Surprisingly, it has been shown that in particular substantiallydesulfated and substantially N-acylated heparin as well as partiallyN-carboxyalkylated and N-acylated chitosan as well as desulfated andsubstantially N-acylated dermatan sulfate, chondroitin sulfate and alsochain length reduced hyaluronic acid are especially suitable. Inparticular, N-acetylated heparin as well as partiallyN-carboxymethylated and N-acetylated chitosan are suitable for thehemocompatible coating.

The desulfation and acylation degrees defined by “substantially” werealready defined more above. The term “substantially” is intended to makeclear that statistic deviations have to be taken into consideration. Asubstantially alternating sequence of the sugar monomers means that as arule two equal sugar monomers are not bonded to each other, but does notcompletely exclude such an erroneous linkage. Correspondingly,“substantially the half” means nearly 50%, but permits slightvariations, because especially with biosynthetically producedmacromolecules, the most suitable case is never achieved, and certaindeviations have always to be taken into consideration as enzymes do notwork perfectly and catalysis usually involves a certain rate of errors.In the case of natural heparin, however, there is a strictly alternatingsequence of N-acetylglucosamine and uronic acid monomers. For example,it was found that a mixture of carrageenan with phosphatidylcholine andglycerine is particularly adhesive to the cell wall. As a matrix for theactive agent or the combination of active agents adhesive to the outercell membrane such mixtures of polysaccharides with membrane-permeablesubstances can provide a controlled transfer of the active agent intothe cytosol over a considerably longer period than the short-termcontact of the medical device with the vascular wall would allow for.

Furthermore, a process for the hemocompatible coating of surfaces isdisclosed, which are intended for direct blood contact. In said process,a natural and/or artificial surface is provided, and theoligosaccharides and/or polysaccharides described above are immobilizedon said surface.

The immobilisation of the oligosaccharides and/or polysaccharides onthese surfaces can be achieved via hydrophobic interactions, van derWaals forces, electrostatic interactions, hydrogen bonds, ionicinteractions, cross-linking of the oligosaccharides and/orpolysaccharides and/or by covalent bonding onto the surface. Preferredis the covalent linkage of the oligosaccharides and/or polysaccharides,more preferred the covalent single-point linkage (side-on bonding), andespecially preferred the covalent end-point linkage (end-on bonding).

The term “substantially the rest of the sugar monomers” means that 93%of the remaining sugar monomers, preferably 96% and particularlypreferably 98% of the remaining 60%-40% of the sugar monomers carry acarboxyl residue.

Thus particularly short-term implants are preferred which are providedwith this hemocompatible coating of the aforementioned heparinderivatives, chitosan derivatives and/or oligo- and polypeptides fromwhich an enhanced biocompatibility may be required during the time ofexposure, as for example it is advantageous in a short-term implant thatnot completely, but partially coated with an active agent if the surfacenot coated with an active agent displays an improved biocompatibility.The hemocompatible layer is equally useful if during the short-term stayof the implant in the organism the uncoated metal surface is partiallyor completely exposed.

In order to improve the adhesion of such carrier substances peptides,proteins, pronucleotides, nucleotides and saccharides can becross-linked what can be achieved for example with glutaraldehyde.

Oils and Fats as Carrier Substances

Besides the above mentioned biostable and biodegradable polymers ascarrier matrix for transport mediators and active agents alsophysiologically acceptable oils, fats, lipids, lipoids and waxes can beused. WO 03/022265 A1 describes oily formulations of paclitaxel whichcan be used also. Particularly preferred are, however, oils and fatsthat can be cured, respectively autopolymerized.

As such oils, fats and waxes which can be used as carrier substances orlayers without an active agent, especially top layers, substances aresuitable which can be represented by the following general formulas:

whereinR, R′, R″, R* and R** are independently of each other alkyl, alkenyl,alkinyl, heteroalkyl, cycloalkyl, heterocyclyl groups having 1 to 20carbon atoms, aryl, arylalkyl, alkylaryl, heteroaryl groups having 3 to20 carbon atoms or functional groups and preferably represent thefollowing groups: —H, —OH, —OCH₃, —OC₂H₅, —OC₃H₇, —O-cyclo-C₃H₅,—OCH(CH₃)₂, —OC(CH₃)₃, —OC₄H₉, —OPh, —OCH₂-Ph, —OCPh₃, —SH, —SCH₃,—SC₂H₅, —NO₂, —F, —Cl, —Br, —I, —CN, —OCN, —NCO, —SCN, —NCS, —CHO,—COCH₃, —COC₂H₅, —COC₃H₇, —CO-cyclo-C₃H₅, —COCH(CH₃)₂, —OC(CH₃)₃, —COOH,—COOCH₃, —COOC₂H₅, —COOC₃H₇, —COO-cyclo-C₃H₅, —COOCH(CH₃)₂, —COOC(CH₃)₃,—OOC—CH₃, —OOC—C₂H₅, —OOC—C₃H₇, —OOC-cyclo-C₃H₅, —OOC—CH(CH₃)₂,—OOC—C(CH₃)₃, —CONH₂, —CONHCH₃, —CONHC₂H₅, —CONHC₃H₇, —CON(CH₃)₂,—CON(C₂H₅)₂, —CON(C₃H₇)₂, —NH₂, —NHCH₃, —NHC₂H₅, —NHC₃H₇,—NH-cyclo-C₃H₅, —NHCH(CH₃)₂, —NHC(CH₃)₃, —N(CH₃)₂, —N(C₂H₅)₂, —N(C₃H₇)₂,—N(cyclo-C₃H₅)₂, —N[CH(CH₃)₂]₂, —N[C(CH₃)₃]₂, —SOCH₃, —SOC₂H₅, —SOC₃H₇,—SO₂CH₃, —SO₂C₂H₅, —SO₂C₃H₇, —SO₃H, —SO₃CH₃, —SO₃C₂H₅, —SO₃C₃H₇, —OCF₃,—OC₂F₅, —O—COOCH₃, —O—COOC₂H₅, —O—COOC₃H₇, —O—COO-cyclo-C₃H₅,—O—COOCH(CH₃)₂, —O—COOC(CH₃)₃, —NH—CO—NH₂, —NH—CO—NHCH₃, —NH—CO—NHC₂H₅,—NH—CO—N(CH₃)₂, —NH—CO—N(C₂H₅)₂, —O—CO—NH₂, —O—CO—NHCH₃, —O—CO—NHC₂H₅,—O—CO—NHC₃H₇, —O—CO—N(CH₃)₂, —O—CO—N(C₂H₅)₂, —O—CO—OCH₃, —O—CO—OC₂H₅,—O—CO—OC₃H₇, —O—CO—O-cyclo-C₃H₅, —O—CO—OCH(CH₃)₂, —O—CO—OC(CH₃)₃, —CH₂F,—CHF₂, —CF₃, —CH₂Cl, —CH₂Br, —CH₂I, —CH₂—CH₂F, —CH₂—CHF₂, —CH₂—CF₃,—CH₂—CH₂Cl, —CH₂—CH₂Br, —CH₂—CH₂I, —CH₃, —C₂H₅, —C₃H₇, -cyclo-C₃H₅,—CH(CH₃)₂, —C(CH₃)₃, —C₄H₉, —CH₂—CH(CH₃)₂, —CH(CH₃)—C₂H₅, -Ph, —CH₂-Ph,—CPh₃, —CH═CH₂, —CH₂—CH═CH₂, —C(CH₃)═CH₂, —CH═CH—CH₃, —C₂H₄—CH═CH₂,—CH═C(CH₃)₂, —C≡CH, —C≡C—CH₃, —CH₂—C≡CH;X is an ester group or amide group and especially —O-alkyl, —O—CO-alykl,—O—CO—O-alkyl, —O—CO—NH-alkyl, —O—CO—N-dialkyl, —CO—NH-alkyl,—CO—N-dialkyl, —CO—O-alkyl, —CO—OH, —OH;m, n, p, q, r, s and t are independently of each other integers from 0to 20, preferred from 0 to 10.

The term “alkyl” for example in —CO—O-alkyl is preferably one of thealkyl groups mentioned for the aforesaid groups R, R′ etc., such as—CH₂-Ph. The compounds of the aforesaid general formulas can be presentalso in the form of their salts as racemates or diastereomeric mixtures,as pure enantiomers or diastereomers as well as mixtures or oligomers orcopolymers or block copolymers. Moreover, the aforesaid substances canbe used in mixture with other substances such as biostable andbiodegradable polymers and especially in mixture with the hereinmentioned oils and/or fatty acids. Preferred are such mixtures andindividual substances which are suitable for polymerization, especiallyfor autopolymerization.

The substances suitable for polymerization, especiallyautopolymerization, comprise i.a. oils, fats, lipids, fatty acids aswell as fatty acid esters, which are described in more detail below. Thelipids are preferably mono- or poly-unsaturated fatty acids and/ormixtures of these unsaturated fatty acids in the form of theirtri-glycerides and/or in non-glycerin bound, free form.

Preferably the unsaturated fatty acids are chosen from the group, whichcomprises oleic acid, eicosapentaenoic, acid, timnodonic acid,docosahexaenoic acid, arachidonic acid, linoleic acid, α-linolenic acid,γ-linolenic acid as well as mixtures of the aforementioned fatty acids.These mixtures comprise especially mixtures of the pure unsaturatedcompounds.

As oils are preferably used linseed oil, hempseed oil, corn oil, walnutoil, rape oil, soy bean oil, sun flower oil, poppy-seed oil, saffloweroil, wheat germ oil, thistle oil, grape-seed oil, evening primrose oil,borage oil, black cumin oil, algae oil, fish oil, cod-liver oil and/ormixtures of the aforementioned oils. Especially suitable are mixtures ofthe pure unsaturated compounds.

Fish oil and cod-liver oil mainly contain eicosapentaenoic acid (EPAC20:5) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA C22:6) besides of littleα-linolenic acid (ALA C18:3). All these three fatty acids are omega-3fatty acids which are required in the organism as an importantbiochemical constituting substance for numerous cell structures (DHA andEPA), for example, as already mentioned, they are fundamental for thebuild up and continuance of the cell membrane (sphingolipids, ceramides,gangliosides). Omega-3 fatty acids can be found not only in fish oil,but also in vegetable oils. Further unsaturated fatty acids, such as theomega-6 fatty acids, are present in oils of herbal origin, which herepartly constitute a higher proportion than in animal fats. Hencedifferent vegetable oils such as linseed oil, walnut oil, flax oil,evening primrose oil with accordingly high content of essential fattyacids are recommended as especially high-quality and valuable edibleoils. Especially linseed oil represents a valuable supplier of omega-3and omega-6 fatty acids and is known for decades as high-quality edibleoil.

As substances participating in the polymerization reaction omega-3 aswell as omega-6 fatty acids are preferred as well as all of thesubstances which have at least one omega-3 and/or omega-6 fatty acidmoiety. Such substances demonstrate also a good capability forautopolymerization. The ability of curing, i.e. the ability forautopolymerization, is based in the composition of the oils, alsoreferred to as toweling oils, and goes back to the high content ofessential fatty acids, more precisely to the double bonds of theunsaturated fatty acids. When exposed to air by means of oxygen radicalsare generated on the double bond sites of the fatty acid molecules,which initiate and propagate the radical polymerization, such that thefatty acids cross-link among themselves under loss of the double bonds.With the clearing of the double bond in the fat molecule the meltingpoint increases and the cross-linking of the fatty acid molecules causesan additional curing. A high molecular resin results, covering themedical surface homogeneously as flexible polymer film.

The auto-polymerization is also referred to as self-polymerization andcan be initiated for example by oxygen, especially by aerial oxygen.This auto-polymerization can also be carried out under exclusion oflight. Another possibility exists in the initiation of theauto-polymerization by electromagnetic radiation, especially by light.Still another but less preferred variant is represented by theauto-polymerization initiated by chemical decomposition reactions,especially by decomposition reactions of the substances to bepolymerized.

The more multiple bonds are present in the fatty acid moiety, the higheris the degree of cross-linking. Thus, the higher the density of multiplebonds is in an alkyl moiety (fatty acid moiety) as well as in onemolecule, the smaller is the amount of substances, which participateactively in the polymerization reaction.

The content of substances participating actively in the polymerizationreaction in respect to the total amount of all of the substancesdeposited on the surface of the medical product is at least 25% byweight, preferred 35% by weight, more preferred 45% by weight andespecially preferred 55% by weight.

The following table 1 shows a listing of the fatty acid constituents indifferent oils, which are preferably used.

TABLE 1 Eicosa- Docosa- Linoleic Linolenic pentaenoic hexaenoic Oleicacid acid acid acid acid (C 18:1) (C 18:2) (C 18:3) (C 20:5) (C 22:6)Oil species omega-9 omega-6 omega-3 omega-3 omega-3 Olive oil 70 10 0 00 Corn oil 30 60 1 0 0 Linseed oil 20 20 60 0 0 Cod-liver oil 25 2 1 128 Fish oil 15 2 1 18 12

The oils and mixtures of the oils, respectively, used in the coatingcontain an amount of unsaturated fatty acids of at least 40% by weight,preferred an amount of 50% by weight, more preferred an amount of 60% byweight, further preferred an amount of 70% by weight and especiallypreferred an amount of 75% by weight of unsaturated fatty acids. Shouldcommercially available oils, fats or waxes be used which contain a loweramount of compounds with at least one multiple bond than 40% by weight,unsaturated compounds can be added in such a quantity that the amount ofunsaturated compounds increases to over 40% by weight. In the case of anamount of less than 40% by weight the polymerization rate decreases toomuch so that homogeneous coatings cannot be guaranteed anymore.

The property to polymerize empowers especially lipids with high amountsof poly-unsaturated fatty acids as excellent substances.

So the linoleic acid (octadecadienoic acid) has two double bonds and thelinolenic acid (octadecatrienoic acid) has three double bonds.Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA C20:5) has five double bonds anddocosahexaenoic acid (DHA C22:6) has six double bonds in one molecule.With the number of double bonds also the readiness for polymerizationincreases.

These properties of unsaturated fatty acids and of their mixtures aswell as their tendency for auto-polymerization can be used for thebiocompatible and flexible coating of medical surfaces, especially ofstents with e.g. fish oil, cod-liver oil or linseed oil (see examples13-18).

Linoleic acid is also referred to as cis-9, cis-12-octadecadienoic acid(chemical nomenclature) or as Δ9,12-octadecadienoic acid or asoctadecadienoic acid (18:2) and octadecadienoic acid 18:2 (n-6),respectively, (biochemical and physiological nomenclature,respectively). In the case of octadecadienoic acid 18:2 (n-6) nrepresents the number of carbon atoms and the number “6” indicates theposition of the final double bond. Thus, 18:2 (n-6) is a fatty acid with18 carbon atoms, two double bonds and with a distance of 6 carbon atomsfrom the final double bond to the external methyl group.

For the present embodiments the following unsaturated fatty acids arepreferably used as substances, which participate in the polymerizationreaction and substances, respectively, which contain these fatty acids,or substances, which contain the alkyl moiety of these fatty acids, i.e.without the carboxylate group (—COOH).

TABLE 1 Monoolefinic fatty acids Systematic name Trivial name Short formcis-9-tetradecenoic acid myristoleic acid 14:1 (n-5) cis-9-hexadecenoicacid palmitoleic acid 16:1 (n-7) cis-6-octadecenoic acid petroselinicacid 18:1 (n-12) cis-9-octadecenoic acid oleic acid 18:1 (n-9)cis-11-octadecenoic acid vaccenic acid 18:1 (n-7) cis-9-eicosenoic acidgadoleinic acid 20:1 (n-11) cis-11-eicosenoic acid gondoinic acid 20:1(n-9) cis-13-docosenoic acid erucinic acid 22:1 (n-9)cis-15-tetracosenoic acid nervonic acid 24:1 (n-9) t9-octadecenoic acidelaidinic acid t11-octadecenoic acid t-vaccenic acid t3-hexadecenoicacid trans-16:1 (n-13)

TABLE 2 Poly-unsaturated fatty acids Systematic name Trivial name Shortform 9,12-octadecadienoic acid linoleic acid 18:2 (n-6)6,9,12-octadecatrienoic acid γ-linolenic acid 18:3 (n-6)8,11,14-eicosatrienoic acid dihomo-γ- 20:3 (n-6) linolenic acid5,8,11,14-eicosatetraenoic acid arachidonic 20:4 (n-6) acid7,10,13,16-docosatetraenoic acid — 22:4 (n-6)4,7,10,13,16-docosapentaenoic acid — 22:5 (n-6) 9,12,15-octadecatrienoicacid α-linolenic 18:3 (n-3) acid 6,9,12,15-octadecatetraenoic acidstearidonic acid 18:4 (n-3) 8,11,14,17-eicosatetraenoic acid — 20:4(n-3) 5,8,11,14,17-eicosapentaenoic acid EPA 20:5 (n-3)7,10,13,16,19-docosapentaenoic acid DPA 22:5 (n-3)4,7,10,13,16,19-docosahexaenoic acid DHA 22:6 (n-3)5,8,11-eicosatrienoic acid meadic acid 20:3 (n-9)9c,11t,13t-eleostearinoic acid 8t,10t,12c-calendinoic acid9c,11t,13c-catalpicoic acid 4,7,9,11,13,16,19-docosahepta-stellaheptaenic decanoic acid acid taxolic acid all-cis-5,9-18:2pinolenic acid all-cis-5,9,12- 18:3 sciadonic acid all-cis-5,11,14- 20:3

TABLE 3 Acetylenic fatty acids Systematic name Trivial name6-octadecynoic acid taririnic acid t11-octadecen-9-ynoic acidsantalbinic or ximeninic acid 9-octadecynoic acid stearolinic acid6-octadecen-9-ynoic acid 6,9-octadeceninic acid t10-heptadecen-8-ynoicacid pyrulinic acid 9-octadecen-12-ynoic acid crepenynic acidt7,t11-octadecadiene-9-ynoic acid heisterinic acidt8,t10-octadecadiene-12-ynoic acid — 5,8,11,14-eicosatetraynoic acidETYA

After accomplishing the described polymerization of the substancescontaining one linear or branched and one substituted or non-substitutedalkyl moiety with at least one multiple bond a surface of a medicalproduct is obtained which is at least partially provided with a polymerlayer. In the ideal case a homogeneous continuously thick polymer layeris formed on the total external surface of the stent or a catheterballoon with or without a crimped stent. This polymer layer on thesurface of the stent or the catheter balloon with or without stentincludes the substances participating in the polymerization reaction andincludes the substances in the polymer matrix participating not activelyin the polymerization reaction and/or active agents and/or rapamycin.Preferably the inclusion is adapted to allow the substances notparticipating in the polymerization, especially rapamycin and additionalactive agents, to diffuse out from the polymer matrix.

The biocompatible coating of the polymerized substances provides for thenecessary blood compatibility of the stent or catheter balloon with orwithout stent and represents at the same time a suitable carrier for anactive agent such as paclitaxel and rapamycin. An added active agent (oractive agent combination), which is homogeneously distributed over thetotal surface of the stent and/or catheter balloon effects that thepopulation of the surface with cells, especially with smooth muscle andendothelial cells, takes place in a controlled way. Thus, rapidpopulation and overgrowth with cells on the stent surface does notoccur, which could result in restenosis. However, the population withcells on the stent surface is not completely prevented by a highconcentration of a medicament, which would entail the danger ofthrombosis. This combination of both effects awards the ability to thesurface of a medical product, especially to the surface of a stent, togrow rapidly into the vessel wall, and reduces both the risk ofrestenosis and of thrombosis. The release of the active agent or of theactive agents spans over a period of 1 to 12 months, preferably 1 to 2months after implantation.

A conventional catheter balloon is preferably coated in a first stepwith a lubricant as e.g. graphite or a stearate and subsequently coatedpreferably through spray coating with a viscid mixture of an oil or fatand an active agent as e.g. rapamycin or paclitaxel. If necessary,subsequently less curing through auto-polymerization initiated by oxygenmolecules or by radiation and/or radical former can occur. Thus a smoothsurface results on the surface of the catheter balloon which in generaldoesn't require a further protection from premature detachment. Thecatheter balloon in its present form can be pushed forward to thestenotic section of the vessel, and there the transfer of the coatingonto the vascular wall can take place by dilating the balloon, whereinthe lubricant supports the detachment of the oily coating directly onthe surface of the balloon.

Liposomal Formulations

Further preferred embodiments relate to liposomal formulations of activeagents for the coating of catheter balloons with or without stents.

The liposomal formulations are preferably produced by solving in a firststep the active agent (e.g. paclitaxel or rapamycin) or the combinationof active agents in an aqueous medium or buffer medium and subsequentlycontacting them with solutions containing membrane-forming substances.This method yields high inclusion rates of at least 30% up to 95%.

Membrane-forming substances are loaded amphiphilic compounds, preferablyalkylcarbonic acids, alkylsulfonic acids, alkylamines, alkylammoniumsalts, phosphoric acid alcohol esters, naturally occurring and syntheticlipids such as phosphatidylglycerol (PG), phosphatidylserine (PS),derivatives of phophatidylethanolamines (PE derivatives) and those ofcholesterol, phosphatidic acid, phosphatidyl inositol, cardiolipin,sphingomyelin, ceramide in its natural, half-synthetic or syntheticforms, stearylamine and stearinic acid, palmitoyl-D-glucuronide and/orloaded sphingolipids as e.g. sulfatide.

Neutral membrane-forming substances are known components as e.g.phosphatidylcholine (PC), phophatidylethanolamine (PE), steroids,preferably cholesterol, complex lipids and/or neutral sphingolipids.

The extraction of liposomes from an aqueous solution is achieved also byusing known techniques as e.g. dialysis, ultrafiltration, gelfiltration, sedimentation or flotation. The liposomes have a meandiameter of 10 to 400 nm.

Preferably, such liposomal formulations can also be applied into thefolds of a fold balloon.

Coating Containing Magnetic Particles

A further coating of catheter balloons includes magnetic and/orendocytosis-enabled particles, preferably with a mean particle diameterin the nano- to micro-range, as disclosed e.g. in DE 197 26 282 A.

It is known that nanoparticles can be incorporated from cells viaendocytosis. A method for producing such cell-permeable nanoparticles isnamed in DE 197 26 282.1. The uptake of the nanoparticles can beinvestigated in in vitro studies in highly purified cell material. In DE199 12 798 C1 methods are listed by means of which any cell from atissue can be taken into culture. These methods allow for chemicallydesigning the particles in such a way that a high uptake rate occurs incertain cell types. Thus in DE 100 59 151 A a coupling of substancessuch as paclitaxel and rapamycin, for example, to the particles ispursued through ionic interactions wherein the conjugate is enriched intissue.

For the magnetic particles a coating may include monomeric aminosilanesas e.g. 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane,2-aminoethyl-3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane,trimethoxysilylpropyldiethylentriamine orN-(6-aminohxyl)-3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, which are poly-condensedaccording to well-known procedures to reach the required stability. Forexample, a suitable method is described in DE 196 14 136 A or DE 195 15820 A,

It is known further that such magnetic particles can be enriched locallyby means of an externally applied magnetic field (DE 109 59 151 A), orthat the targeting properties can be enhanced chemically, foe example bycoupling with antibodies (DE 44 28 851 A1, EP 0516252 A2). Multi-shellparticles for bringing conjugates of particles and active agents intocells, especially tumor cells, are described in patent application WO98/58673 A. Furthermore, by applying an external alternating magneticfield also a heating of the particles can be achieved, e.g. throughhysteresis heat, on 45° C. and more, for example.

The nanoparticles themselves include a magnetic material, preferably aferromagnetic, anti-ferromagnetic, ferrimagnetic, antiferrimagnetic orsuperparamagnetic material, particularly of superparamagnetic ironoxides or of pure iron, provided with an oxide layer. Preferably, thenanoparticles include iron oxides and particularly of magnetite (Fe₃O₄),maghemite (γ-Fe₂O₃) or mixtures of both oxides. In general the preferrednanoparticles can be described with the formula FeO_(x), wherein x is anumber from 1 to 2. The nanoparticles preferably have a diameter of lessthan 500 nm. Preferably, the nanoparticles have a mean diameter of 15nm, or are preferably in the range from 1-100 nm, and particularlypreferably in the range from 10-20 nm.

Besides magnetic materials of the formula FeO_(x), wherein x is a numberfrom 1.0 to 2.0 also materials of the general formula M(II)Fe₂O₄ can beused, wherein M=Co, Ni, Mn, Zn, Cu, Cd, Ba or other ferrites. Thecontent of metal atoms different from iron atoms is preferably not morethan 70% of metal atom, particularly not more than 35% of metal atoms.Preferably, however, the nanoparticles include iron oxide to more than98 weight percent, containing Fe(III) as well as Fe(II) in a ratio ofpreferably 1:1 to 1:3. Moreover, also silica and polymeric particles aresuitable in which magnetic materials as for example the magneticmaterials listed herein are embedded and/or bonded.

The used nanoparticle cores may also include non-magnetic materials.They can be eligible from for example polymeric nanoparticles (e.g.PLGA, polyacrylamide, polybutylcyanoacrylate), metals as well as fromall oxide materials (e.g. MgO, CaO, TiO₂, ZrO₂, SiO₂, Al₂O₃). Anymaterial is suitable that can be coated with tumor-specific shells bythe aforementioned methods, since the ability for endocytosis doesn'tdepend from the particle but from the shell.

To these nanoparticles therapeutically active substances can be bound,wherein a covalent binding as well as adsorptive and ionic bindings arepossible.

The inducible conjugates of nanoparticles and active agent arepreferably based on magnetic iron-containing cores surrounded by one ormore colloidal shells or coatings optionally to be coupled with activeagents via functional groups. Herein, the core includes magnetite ormaghemite. The primary role of the shells is to attain a colloidaldistribution in aqueous medium and to protect the nanoparticles fromagglomeration. Multi-shell particles, as described in patent applicationWO 98/58673, are in principle suitable as a basis for inducibleconjugates of nanoparticles and active agents, since the biologicalbehaviour of such particles can be adjusted by the coatings withpolymers and a coupling of the active agents to functional groups of theprimary shell is possible.

A further coating of inducible conjugates of nanoparticles and activeagents (e.g. with polymers), as described in WO 98/58673, is possiblealso and can be used for improving the biological properties of theconjugates of nanoparticles and active agents.

Catheter balloons are thus provided with a coating containing magneticand/or endocytosis-enabled particles. Additionally, the coating cancomprise preferably one or more polymers, wherein the magnetic and/orendocytosis-enabled particle can be embedded together with the activeagent such as paclitaxel or rapamycin or the combination of activeagents. Moreover, it is also possible to apply a mixture of a contrastmedium or contrast medium analogue together with an active agent and themagnetic and/or endocytosis-enabled particles on the surface of theballoon with or without a crimped stent. Furthermore, a solution or adispersion of magnetic and/or endocytosis-enabled particles and theactive agent in a preferably light volatile solvent such as acetone,methanol, ethanol, tetrahydrofuran (THF), methylene chloride,chloroform, ether, petrol ether, acetic acid ethyl and methyl ester,cyclohexane, hexane and other organic solvents with boiling points below100° C. can be produced which subsequently is applied onto catheterballoons with or without a crimped stent, preferably by spray method.

As mentioned before, the active agent can be bound adhesively or alsocovalently to the outer shell of the magnetic and/or endocytosis-enabledparticles, or the magnetic and/or endocytosis-enabled particles areenclosed together with an active agent or a composition of active agents(e.g. rapamycin and/or paclitaxel) into microcapsules or liposomalformulations and applied in this form on the surface of the balloon.

Such coatings of active agent and magnetic and/or endocytosis-enabledparticles can be coated, of course, with another protective as well as arelease-controlling layer.

Particularly suitable as outer shells for the coating of catheterballoons are layers or coatings with a crisp bursting during dilationproviding a particular good lubrication to the balloon and displayingonly few interactions respectively sliding friction with the vascularwall.

In a particularly preferred embodiment comprising the coating withmagnetic and/or endocytosis-enabled particles the particles,respectively the coating containing these particles, are fixed on thesurface of the balloon by means of an external magnetic field. Inanother embodiment a magnet with reversible polarity as e.g. anelectromagnet is arranged inside the catheter balloon or in its outerlayer which attracts the oppositely polarized particles during theplacement of the catheter and thus binds them firmly to the surface ofthe balloon. On dilation of the balloon the magnet inside the balloon isreversed in its polarity and repulses the particles with the samepolarity, respectively the equally polarized particles, thus pressingthe magnetic particles into the vascular wall and the single cells,especially smooth muscle cells.

This embodiment ensures a firm adhesion of the magnetic particles duringthe placement of the catheter balloon on the basis of magnetism, eitherthrough an external local magnetic field or preferably through amagnetic field generated inside the catheter balloon, and additionallyleads to a quantitative repulsion of the magnetic particles and transferinto the adjacent tissue on expanding the catheter balloon.

In this method very short dilation times of the catheter balloon of lessthan 30 seconds are sufficient, preferably 5-20 seconds, more preferably5-10 seconds and particularly preferably 3-6 seconds.

As the active agent or the active agents are firmly connected to thesurface of the magnetic particles, by means of adsorption or by means ofa covalent bond possibly also via a linker, or by embedding into asuperficial coating of the magnetic cores of the particles, the loss inactive agent during the placement of the catheter is equally very low.

Furthermore, the magnetic particles can be provided with a coatinghaving a particularly high affinity to smooth muscle cells and a loweraffinity to endothelial cells, so that it can be controlled through thecoating of the magnetic micro- or nanoparticles that preferably smoothmuscle cells are killed or inhibited in their proliferation whileendothelial cells are mostly spared, something very positive in theprophylaxis and treatment of restenosis. Moreover, it can be controlledthrough the amount of the applied active agent whether e.g. paclitaxelexerts rather cytotoxic or cytostatic actions.

Since the active agents are firmly, but in general not irreversiblybound to the magnetic particles the active agents are incorporatedtogether with the magnetic particles into the cells, preferably smoothmuscle cells, and exert their actions inside the cell, thus leading to asignificantly enhanced effect of the active agent.

Hydrogel

In another embodiment a hydrogel is applied onto the catheter balloonwith or without a stent, containing at least one of the aforementionedactive agents, preferably paclitaxel or rapamycin, or their derivatives.

Preferably such a hydrogel coating is protected from the contact withblood through an overcoat as used in self-expanding Nitinol stents forsuch a time until the catheter balloon is placed at the stenotic sectionof the vessel. There the protective overcoat is removed and the hydrogelstarts bulging when contacted with blood. The expansion of the catheterballoon transfers the major part of the hydrogel layer onto the vascularwall and remains there as a short-term pool of active agent,continuously releasing the active agent, e.g. paclitaxel or rapamycin,to the vascular wall until the hydrogel layer is dissolved during a fewdays or weeks.

Salts with an Active Agent

A particularly preferred embodiment is a coating of the catheter balloonpreferably without a stent with a solution or dispersion of an activeagent, preferably paclitaxel or rapamycin or their derivatives, andparticularly paclitaxel, together with one or more physiologicallyacceptable salts.

As salts compounds containing sodium cations, calcium, magnesium, zinc,iron or lithium cations together with sulfate, chloride, bromide,iodide, phosphate, nitrate, citrate or acetate anions can be used.

The active agent or the combination of active agents is added to thissolution, dispersion or suspension. Preferably water serves as asolvent, possibly also with co-solvents. The salt concentration shouldbe relatively high.

The catheter balloon is coated via a dipping or a spraying method, orbrush or squirting method with this salt solution containing an activeagent and subsequently dried so that a firm salt crust results on thecatheter balloon. Moreover, also ionic contrast media can be used assalts, or ionic contrast media can be added to the aforementioned salts.

The goal is to generate on the catheter balloon a mostly homogenouscoating of a solid, i.e. a salt, in which the active agent is enclosed.This salt crust is then provided either with a protective cover layer ora removable wrapper, as it is used in self-expanding stents, in order toprotect them from premature detachment. A third variant includes using afold balloon and applying this salt mixture specifically under the foldsof the catheter balloon.

The salt coating is very hygroscopic and thus has a high affinity to thevascular tissue. On dilation the wrapper is removed or the outerprotective barrier layer bursts or, when using a fold balloon, the foldsunfold and press the salty coating against the vascular wall.

Then the salt coating downright sticks to the vascular wall where itfulfils several tasks. On the one hand the locally very high saltconcentration leads to a high isotonic pressure which makes cells burst,and on the other hand the high salt concentration dissolves also hardplaques and other sedimentations in the vessel and additionally releasesthe active agent which particularly suppresses the proliferation ofsmooth muscle cells.

After a few hours up to some days, according to the amount, the saltcoating transferred onto the vascular wall is completely dissolved.

Coating Methods

Furthermore methods for coating catheter balloons with or without acrimped stent are described.

The short-term implant is either completely or partially coated with asolution of the substances to be applied including the active agent orcombination of active agents by a spraying, dipping, brushing,squirting, roll, drag, pipetting or electro-spinning method, orcompletely or partially coated with a matrix.

As solvents volatile organic compounds such as dichloromethane,chloroform, ethanol, acetone, heptane, n-hexane, DMF, DMSO, methanol,propanol, tetrahydrofuran (THF), methylenechloride, ether, benzine,acetonitrile, acetic acid ethyl and methyl ester, cyclohexane andcorresponding mixtures thereof can be used. According to the coatingmaterial (e.g. hydrogels or water-soluble active agents) also thepresence of water may be desirable.

When choosing the solvent it is in general of utmost importance that thematerial of the short-term implant is not dissolved or rendered useless,or the exposure time is so short that no damages can occur.

The matrix includes a synthetic, semi-synthetic or natural, biostable orbiodegradable, biocompatible polymer or polymer mixture, prepolymers,polymerizable substances such as unsaturated fatty acids, micelle orliposome-building substances encapsulating active agents, which shouldmeet the requirements of the implant. Suitable polymers are mentionedabove. Thereby an additional depot effect and dose enhancement can beachieved.

The catheter balloon can be coated either in the expanded or in thefolded state, coated partially or completely, or coated together with amounted stent.

The coating can be done by a spraying, dipping, brushing, squirting,drag, roll and/or pipetting method. The pipetting, dragging, rolling orsquirting methods are particularly suitable for the use in foldedcatheter balloons or fold balloons as with these methods the solutionwith the active agent or with the combination of active agents can bespecifically applied into or under the folds. It is important therebythat no impairment in functionality occurs by this partial coating. Forexample, the folds may not stick together when being expanded and thuscounteract the expansion. Likewise the nominal pressure on the balloonshouldn't be increased beyond the maximum value in order to counteractadhesive forces of the coating in the folds. Uneven expansion should beavoided also. The coating shall in no case impair the expansioncharacteristics of the balloon catheter.

Furthermore the catheter balloon can be coated together with a crimpedstent, or a bare stent as well as an already coated stent can be crimpedonto the coated catheter balloon thus achieving a system of for examplean active agent rapidly released from the catheter balloon and an activeagent slowly released from the coating of the stent.

In combination with a stent coated on his part and able to release anactive agent a substance-releasing balloon catheter is particularlyadvantageous in the early phase of the healing process, as only that waythe complete contact with the sector to be treated can be realized andthe active agent enters the affected vascular wall in its entiredimension. The whole affected sector is provided with active agent whenbeing exposed to the surface of the balloon catheter while the stentwith a preferably small surface covers only a small portion of thesurface of the vascular wall.

Equal advantages should be given for the marginal zones of the stentwhich continuously cause problems. A catheter balloon capable ofreleasing an active agent also in the marginal zones delivers an optimalprovision for the vessel even in the problem zones of the stent.

The salt solutions and the compositions containing contrast medium oralso the compositions of salts and contrast media are particularlysuitable for coating fold balloons or catheter balloons with a rough,napped, porous or micro-structured surface, or to bring these mixturesinto or under the folds of the fold balloons.

The catheter balloons with a special surface are preferably coated withthe spraying or pipetting method. In the spraying method the catheterballoon is suspended in a revolving manner and the form of the catheterballoon is stabilized by a light vacuum. For example the folds of a foldballoon can be prevented from flipping or skidding and thus fromperforming the coating not specifically local. The balloon catheter thustethered is several times briefly sprayed while drying intermittently.If desired, the outer protective layer or barrier layer is alsopreferably applied by spraying. The same applies for the layerscontaining only an active agent such as paclitaxel or rapamycin whichare also applied preferably by spraying. The pipetting method isparticularly suitable for the coating of a balloon catheter. Herein therevolvably tethered balloon catheter (with or without a stent) is coatedby means of a fine nozzle prolonged with capillaries through which thecoating solution passes out lengthwise the balloon catheter.

In the squirting or pipetting method a fine nozzle or cannula is movedunder the folds for preferably filling the folds of a fold balloon, andthe solution to be applied is squirted into the fold wherein the nozzleor cannula is preferably moved along the fold or, when the nozzle orcannula is stationary the fold balloon is moved lengthwise the fold.This method allows for a very precise and exact coating of each singlefold, respectively of the whole balloon. A possibly used solventevaporates or is removed under vacuum.

If the consistency of the mixture or solution to be applied allows forflowing into the folds the fold balloon is positioned horizontally withone fold upside, or preferentially inclined by 5 to 25 degrees, so thatthe syringe or nozzle can be set at the lower end of the fold balloon atthe aperture of the fold and the mixture can flow on its own into thefold and fill it completely.

In these salt solutions preferably water is used as a solvent becausewater doesn't pit and damage the balloon material. Once the mixture hasa consistency that it can't flow anymore out of the fold the foldballoon is turned and the next fold is filled until all, in general 4 to6, folds of the balloon are filled. Fold balloons are preferably coatedin the packed state, but some special embodiments of fold balloons canalso be coated when being expanded.

Such a coating method comprises the steps

-   -   a) providing a fold balloon,    -   b) placing a fold of the balloon into a horizontal position or        inclined up to 25 degrees,    -   c) setting the aperture of the syringe at the aperture of the        fold which faces the top of the balloon,    -   d) making a relative movement of the aperture of the syringe and        the fold balloon lengthwise the fold    -   e) filling the fold during the movement with a mixture of an        active agent and a salt and/or a ionic contrast medium in a        suitable solvent,    -   f) if necessary, drying of the mixture inside the fold to such a        degree that no leaking out of the mixture can occur,    -   g) turning the balloon by 360° divided by the number of folds    -   h) repeating steps b) to g) until all folds are filled, and    -   i) drying of the mixtures inside the folds until the mixture        hardens.

If more fluid solutions are used the aperture of the syringe is set instep c) at the bottom end and the fold is filled without a relativemovement according to step d) mainly because of capillary forces.

A further embodiment includes a method of keeping open stenotic vessellumina, especially of cardiovascular vessels by means of short-termdilation. In this method a catheter balloon without a stent is expandedduring maximally 50 seconds, preferably maximally 40 seconds, morepreferably maximally 30 seconds and most preferably maximally 20 secondsand then repacked to a diameter less than the 1.5 fold initial diameterwherein the vessel is only overstretched by maximally 10% of itsdiameter in the non-stenotic state and at least 20% of the containedactive agent per mm² surface of the balloon is released and mostlytransferred onto the vascular wall.

Herein the transfer of the active agent does preferably not occur in itspure form but in a matrix which is active as a store for the activeagent for at least one hour after dilation and releases further activeagent to the vascular wall before being dissolved or degraded.

This method thus is characterized in transferring a preferably largeamount of active agent locally and specifically onto the vascular wallof a stenotic section of a vessel during a preferably short time and inproviding a local store of active agent during the ensuing 30 to 60minutes up to maximally 3 days, then being dissolved or degraded.

In this method especially active agents combining anti-inflammatory andantiproliferative properties have been shown to be particularly suitable(see list of active agents p. 7-10). Among them are for examplecolchicine, angiopeptin, but above all rapamycin and its derivatives,furthermore other hydrophobic active agents, particularly paclitaxel andpaclitaxel derivatives have been shown to be very suitable.

Another method is directed to the coating of catheter balloons with oilypolymerizable substances. This method comprises the steps:

-   -   a) providing a catheter balloon,    -   b) providing a mixture including at least 50% weight percentage        of oily substances with at least one multiple bond and        containing at least one active agent,    -   c) applying a lubricant on the surface of the catheter balloon        mostly preventing the adhesion of the oily substances on the        surface of the catheter balloon,    -   d) applying the oily mixture on the lubricant or the lubricant        layer on the catheter balloon,    -   e) rotating the catheter balloon during coating step d),    -   f) initializing the polymerization by means of light, oxygen or        radical starters until obtaining a non-hard but elastic        polymeric layer,    -   g) possibly repeating coating steps d) to f).

The fold coating or fold filling methods are the pipetting method, alsonamed capillary method, the squirting method and the spray method, alsonamed fold spray method, in order to clarify the difference to theunselective spray method for the entire catheter balloon.

Thus embodiments described herein relate to methods for coating orfilling folds of a catheter fold balloon in which

-   -   a) a composition containing an active agent is released at the        distal or the proximal end of a fold of the catheter fold        balloon and the folds are filled by capillary forces; or    -   b) a syringe continuously releasing a continuous flow of a        composition containing an active agent is moved lengthwise a        fold relative to the catheter fold balloon; or    -   c) a plurality of aligned release apertures is moved under the        folds of a fold balloon and a composition containing an active        agent is released concomitantly from the plurality of release        apertures into the fold.

It is of advantage that this coating or filling method can be carriedout preferably in the packed or deflated or maximally 10% inflated stateof the catheter balloon. The term “10% inflated state” means that thecatheter balloon has undergone a 10% inflation respectively expansion ofthe maximal expansion planned during dilation. If the expansion plannedduring dilation is referred to as 100% and the deflated state is set to0% a 10% inflation results from the following formula:(diameter of the deflated catheter balloon)+(diameter of the inflatedcatheter balloon−diameter of the deflated catheter balloon)/10

Furthermore, several or all folds can be coated or filled concomitantly,or the coating and filling can be specific. A specific filling orcoating of the folds means that only the folds are filled or coated andthe surface of the catheter balloon outside the folds will not becoated.

A preferably used composition of active agent, solvent and matrix suchas contrast medium has the consistency of a paste, gel of a viscous massor a viscous dispersion or emulsion or a tough pap.

This composition has the advantage that it does not polymerize andmaintains its consistency during the coating. This paste or (high)viscous mass or thick suspension is applied under pressure into thefolds with a squirting device, preferably a nozzle as shown in FIG. 1.

If necessary, the nozzle can widen the folds of the balloon andspecifically fill the cavities formed by the folds. Fold balloonsusually have 4 or more folds which will be filled one after the other.

It showed to be particularly advantageous to rotate the fold balloon inthe direction of the apertures of the folds after one or more or allfolds have been filled. This rotation leads to a complete and evendistribution of the viscous paste in the folds and to a release ofpossible air locks. After rotating the fold balloon a further filling ofalready filled or empty folds can be done.

During or after rotation the composition in the folds dries underatmospheric or slightly diminished pressure. The drying or hardening ofthe composition occurs by removing the at least one alcohol byevaporation. The dried composition has a porous consistency and can veryeasily be detached from the balloon surface during dilation. Alcohol asa solvent has been removed except for the usual residual and thecontrast medium forms a porous matrix for the agent and additionally iscapable to release the active agent rapidly and in a high amount afterdilating the fold balloon. Moreover, the method has the advantage to bevery material-sparing since only the folds are coated or filled and thusno active agent is located on the outer surface of the balloon whichcould get lost during the introduction of the catheter.

General Description of the Coating Methods

Pipetting Method—Capillary Method

This method comprises the following steps:

-   -   a) providing a folded packed catheter balloon,    -   b) providing a coating device with an aperture capable for        pointwise release of the coating solution,    -   c) setting the aperture capable for pointwise release of the        coating solution to the proximal or distal end of a fold of the        catheter balloon,    -   d) releasing a defined amount of the coating solution through        the outlet at the proximal or distal end of a fold, and    -   e) filling the fold with the coating solution because of        capillary effects.        Optionally, there can be still step f) for drying:    -   f) drying of the coating solution in the fold wherein the        catheter balloon is rotated during drying about its longitudinal        axis in direction of the aperture of the folds.        This method coats or fills specifically the folds and can be        performed with any coating solution which is still so viscous        that it is drawn because of capillary forces or by additionally        using gravitation into the fold during 5 minutes, preferably 2        minutes, and thus mostly completely fills the fold.        Squirting Method or Syringe Method:        This method comprises the following steps:    -   a) providing a folded packed catheter balloon,    -   b) providing a coating device with at least one nozzle or at        least a syringe-shaped outlet,    -   c) setting the nozzle or the outlet at the proximal or distal        end of a fold of the catheter balloon,    -   d) moving the nozzle or the outlet along the fold relative to        the fold, and    -   e) releasing a flow of coating solution defined in time and        covered distance.        Optionally, there can be still step f) for drying:    -   f) drying of the coating solution in the fold or evenly        distributing the coating in the fold wherein the catheter        balloon is rotated about its longitudinal axis in direction of        the aperture of the folds.        This method coats or fills specifically the folds and can be        performed with any coating solution which is still so viscous        that it can be filled into the fold by means of small nozzles or        small outlets.        Spray Method or Fold Spray Method:        This method comprises the following steps:    -   a) providing a folded packed catheter balloon,    -   b) providing a coating device with a plurality of aligned        releasing apertures,    -   c) inserting the plurality of aligned releasing apertures under        the fold of a catheter balloon,    -   d) concomitant release of a defined amount of the coating        solution from the releasing apertures into the fold; and    -   e) drying of the coating solution in the fold.        Optionally, there can be still step f) for drying:    -   f) drying of the coating solution in the fold or evenly        distributing the coating in the fold wherein the catheter        balloon is rotated about its longitudinal axis in direction of        the aperture of the folds.        This method coats or fills specifically the folds and can be        performed with any coating solution which is still so viscous        that it can be filled into the fold by means of small nozzles or        small outlets.        Drag Method or Drop-Drag Method:        This method comprises the following steps:    -   a) providing a catheter balloon in a folded, partially inflated        or completely inflated state,    -   b) providing a coating device with a dispensing device,    -   c) forming of a drop of the coating solution at the dispensing        device,    -   d) dragging the drop over the surface of the catheter balloon to        be coated without the dispensing device itself contacting the        surface of the catheter balloon, and    -   e) redosing of the coating solution so that the drop        substantially maintains its size.        This elegant and for the catheter balloon particularly careful        method uses a drop of the coating solution to be moved or        dragged over the surface of the balloon without the dispensing        device contacting the surface of the balloon and thus the drop        as well as the surface of the balloon moving relatively to one        another.        The coating solution is redosed in such a way that the drop        substantially maintains its size as well as the connection of        the dispensing device and the surface of the balloon. By means        of a volume measuring device the dispensed amount of coating        solution can be exactly determined after the coating and thus        the amount of active agent on the balloon.        Thread Drag Method:        This method comprises the following steps:    -   a) providing a catheter balloon in a folded, partially inflated        or completely inflated state,    -   b) providing a coating device with a dispensing device in form        of a thread, sponge, leather strip or piece of textile,    -   c) providing a coating solution,    -   d) soaking the dispensing device with the coating solution,    -   e) transferring the coating solution from the dispensing device        onto the surface of the catheter balloon to be coated, and    -   f) redosing of the coating solution so that a consistent        dispense of the coating solution from the dispensing device onto        the surface of the catheter balloon to be coated occurs.        This likewise very elegant method is also very smooth to the        surface of the catheter balloon since the dispensing device        contacts the surface of the balloon but is shaped in such a way        that it can't damage the surface the balloon. The dispensing        device is dragged or pulled over the surface of the balloon by a        movement of the catheter balloon relative to the dispensing        device and thereby releases a defined amount of the coating        solution. By means of a volume measuring device the dispensed        amount of coating solution transferred onto the balloon can be        exactly determined after the coating, thus yielding the exact        amount of active agent on the surface of the balloon.        Ballpoint Method or Roll Method:        This method comprises the following steps:    -   a) providing a coating device with a ballpoint for transferring        the coating solution onto the surface of the catheter balloon to        be coated,    -   b) providing a coating solution with access to the ballpoint,    -   c) setting the ballpoint of the coating device onto the surface        of the catheter balloon to be coated,    -   d) exerting a pressure on the ballpoint of the coating device        for enabling the outflow of the coating solution, and    -   e) tracing the surface of the catheter balloon to be coated with        the ballpoint thus transferring the coating solution onto the        surface of the catheter balloon to be coated.        In this likewise quite elegant method the dispensing device        rolls over the surface of the balloon by a movement of the        catheter balloon relative to the dispensing device and thereby        releases by means of a ballpoint an amount of the coating        solution onto the surface of the balloon which can be determined        with a volume measuring device.        In the following the coating and filling methods are addressed        in more detail.        Pipetting Method or Capillary Method:        In this method a pipette or a syringe or any other device        capable of releasing pointwise the composition containing the        active agent is used.

The terms “composition containing the active agent” or “coatingsolution” as used herein relate to a mixture of active agent and solventand/or excipients and/or carrier, thus a real solution, dispersion,suspension or emulsion of an active agent or combination of activeagents and at least one component, to be chosen from the solvents, oils,fatty acids, fatty acid esters, amino acids, vitamins, contrast media,salts and/or membrane-building substances listed herein. The term“solution” shall further mean that it is a fluid mixture which, however,can also be gel-like, viscous or pasty (thick viscous or high viscous).

The pipette or syringe or outlet or other device capable for pointwiserelease of the composition containing the active agent is filled withthe composition and its outlet is set preferably to the proximal ordistal end of a fold. The escaping composition is drawn from capillaryforces into the fold and along the fold until the opposite end of thefold is reached.

The catheter balloon is packed, i.e. deflated. Even a partial ormarginal inflation of the catheter balloon is usually not needed to openthe folds slightly. Nevertheless the filling of the folds can be carriedout with a marginal inflation of the catheter balloon up to maximally10% of the diameter provided for dilation. On filling the folds therecan be also a slight widening of the folds by applying 100 kPa (1 bar)overpressure, preferably 50 kPa (0.5 bar) for widening the foldsslightly.

In this method it is important that the composition containing theactive agent is sufficiently fluid for the capillary forces to develop.

As compositions particularly solutions of an active agent or acomposition of active agents in an alcohol or in a mixture of alcoholsare preferred.

The capillary forces should be thus strong that a fold with the lengthof 10 mm is completely filled during 5 to 80 seconds, preferably during15 to 60 seconds and particularly preferably during 25 to 45 seconds.

If the composition, respectively solution, too viscous it can beadvantageous to incline the catheter balloon with the fold to be filledupwards from the horizontal position to maximally 45°, preferablymaximally 30° and thus also using gravitation. In general, the fillingof a fold by means of capillary forces occurs, however, in a horizontalposition of the catheter balloon with the fold to be filled upside. Thepipette or syringe or other device capable for pointwise release of thecomposition containing the active agent is set onto the fold preferablyat the proximal or at the distal end of the fold in a sharp angle indirection of the fold axis in an angle of 10° to 65°, preferably 20° to55°, more preferably in an angle of 27° to 50° and particularlypreferably in an angle of 35° to 45°, measured from the horizontalplane. The filling of the fold is then performed from the upper end ofthe fold so that the coating solution finds a downhill gradient andadditionally to the capillary forces also uses gravitation.

Principally there is also the possibility to set the pipette or syringeor other device capable for pointwise release of the compositioncontaining the active agent to the middle of the folds or to any otherpoint between the distal and the proximal end so that the fold fillsitself concomitantly in direction of the proximal and the distal endbecause of capillary forces, but the starting points at the end of thefold have were found to be preferable.

When the composition for filling the folds respectively the present foldhas reached to opposite end the substance flow usually stops by itselfand the pipette or syringe or outlet or other device capable forpointwise release of the composition containing the active agent can beremoved.

In order to prevent that a larger drop of the composition containing theactive agent remains at the setting point of the pipette or syringe orother device capable for pointwise release of the composition containingthe active agent it was found to be advantageous to remove the pipetteor syringe or other releasing device before the composition containingthe active agent reaches completely the other end of the fold. Therebythe remaining composition containing the active agent at the settingpoint of the pipette or syringe or other releasing device is drawn intothe fold so that no coating, or better filling, composition remainsoutside the fold.

Preferably the pipette or syringe or other releasing device is removedwhen ca. 90% of the fold is filled with the composition containing theactive agent. The optimal moment for removing the pipette or syringe orother releasing device can be determined exactly and reproducibly with afew experiments.

The term “other device capable for pointwise release of the compositioncontaining the active agent” relates to a device which is capablesimilar to a pipette is capable of providing a steady and continuousflow of the composition containing the active agent so that it can alsorefer to a pump, micro-pump or another store which ensures this steadyand continuous release of the composition containing the active agent.

After the filling of a fold the catheter balloon is rotated so that thenext fold to be filled lies upside, and preferentially horizontal. Thefilling procedure is now repeated.

According to the consistency of the composition containing the activeagent it may be necessary to dry the previously filled fold beforerotating the balloon for filling the next fold. Drying is preferablyachieved by evaporation of the solvent.

Furthermore, this method is also enabled for filling or coating two,more than two or all folds of a catheter balloon at the same time, ifthe consistency of the composition containing the active agent allowsfor that, i.e. the consistency is not that fluid that the compositionpasses out of the folds which are not positioned horizontally.

Particularly the pipetting method is suitable for filling concomitantlyseveral or all folds of a catheter balloon. Herein the catheter ballooncan be arranged horizontally or preferably vertically and the releasingdevices are set from above to the ends of the folds preferably in anangle of 10 to 70 degrees, so that the composition containing the activeagent can flow into the folds.

When all folds of the balloon are filled it comes to final drying.Principally it is not needed that all folds of the catheter balloon arefilled, but the filling of all folds is the common and preferredembodiment, since during dilation a preferably maximal amount of activeagent shall be transferred onto the vascular wall in a preferably shorttime.

In the fold balloons dilation lasts for preferably maximally 60 secondsand particularly preferably for maximally 30 seconds.

After filling the last fold the last folds are dried, i.e. the contentof the last fold is dried preferably without a vacuum under normalpressure by evaporation of the solvent.

To this preliminary drying a final drying can ensue which is carried outin rotating catheter balloons. If required or desired, additionally avacuum can be applied during rotation. This special drying method isdescribed in more detail following the coating methods.

Squirting Method or Syringe Method:

In this method a fine syringe, syringe-shaped opening, syringe-shapedoutlet or needle or nozzle is set to the proximal or distal end of afold, and this releasing device in form of a syringe, needle or nozzleis moved along the longitudinal axis of a fold relative to the fold andaccording to the traced section a certain amount of the compositioncontaining the active agent or a defined flow of the coating solution isreleased.

Herein it is irrelevant whether the catheter balloon is tethered and thereleasing device is moved along the fold, or whether the releasingdevice is fixed and the catheter balloon moves relatively, or whetherboth the catheter balloon and the releasing device even move towards oneanother. If the catheter and the releasing device move relativelytowards one another a movement on a straight line in opposite directionsis preferred.

From the releasing device, i.e. the syringe, needle or nozzle or thelike, a preferably medium to thick viscous composition containing theactive agent is released into the inside of the fold preferably in formof a paste or a gel or an oil. Viscosities of preferred solutions rangebetween 10¹ to 10⁶ mPa·s, preferably between 10² to 10⁵ mPa·s andparticularly preferably between 10³ to 10⁴ mPa·s.

Thus especially those compositions containing an active-agent along withthe above-listed oils, alcohols (especially diols and polyols), fattyacids, fatty acid esters, amino acids, polyamino acids,membrane-building substances, liposomal formulations and/or their saltsare suitable.

In the coating procedure the tip of the syringe, needle or nozzlereaches ca. up to the centre of the inside of the fold, thus into thecentre of the fold, i.e. the nozzle or the outlet is located relativelycentral in the cavity formed by the fold. There a continuous flow of thecomposition containing the active agent occurs in such a way that thevelocity and the amount of the release in regard of the relativedisplacement velocity of the releasing device and the catheter balloonare suitable to fill the fold, respectively the inside of the fold, withthe composition containing the active agent by at least 50 volumepercent, preferably by at least 70 volume percent and particularlypreferably by at least 85 volume percent.

The filling of a fold lasts in a fold length of 10 mm for ca. 5 to 80seconds, preferably ca. 15 to 60 seconds and particularly preferably ca.25 to 45 seconds.

During the filling procedure the catheter balloon is packed, i.e.deflated. In general even a partial or marginal inflation of thecatheter balloon is not needed for opening the folds slightly.Nevertheless the filling of the folds can be carried out with a marginalinflation of the catheter balloon up to maximally 10% of the diameterprovided for dilation. On filling the folds there can be also a slightwidening of the folds by applying 100 kPa (1 bar) overpressure,preferably 50 kPa (0.5 bar) for widening the folds slightly.

This coating method can of course also be carried out with fluidcompositions containing an active agent, but is rather suitable for oilycompositions and high concentrated salt solutions.

Furthermore, this method provides the advantage that more than one foldand particularly all folds can be coated or filled at the same time.Herein a circular array of release devices is disposed according to thenumber of the folds in such a way that one releasing device per fold isprovided. By a slight rotation the tips of the releasing devices areinserted into the folds and placed ca. at the centre of the inside ofthe folds. By a slight and concomitant movement of the releasing devicerelative to the longitudinal axis of the folds all folds can be filledat the same time with a continuous and steady flow of the compositioncontaining the active agent.

During the filling or coating of one or all folds the catheter balloonmay be positioned vertically, horizontally or obliquely.

If volatile solvents have been used in the composition containing theactive agent it may be necessary to dry the content of the folds or toremove the volatile solvent with boiling points under 150° C. Involatile solvents this is preferably done first by evaporation of theone or more volatile solvents.

Then a final drying can occur wherein the catheter balloon is rotateddirection of the openings of the folds, seen from the inside of thefolds. This method is addressed more in detail further below. If coatingsolutions were used that remain oily or pasty after removing thepossibly present solvent the rotation drying can serve on the one handfor removing the residuals of the solvent with boiling points less than150° C. and on the other hand for evenly distributing the oily or pastylayers inside the folds.

The turning or rotation of the catheter balloon in direction of theopenings of the folds can also serve to evenly distribute thecompositions located in or under the folds inside the fold.

This rotation of the fold balloon can be particularly advantageous whenusing oily or pasty compositions containing an active agent to ensure aneven distribution of the composition containing the active agent insidethe folds and also on the surface of the folds.

In contrast, the term “filling” rather relates to a complete filling ofthe inner space of the folds with a composition containing an activeagent.

If solvents are used which can be removed by drying in general a fillingcan't be reached. Thus it is a rather a coating of the inner surfaces ofthe folds.

If substances with a high boiling point are used instead as carriers orexcipients a more or less complete filling of the folds is possible aslong as no considerable amount of volatile substances is present in thecomposition containing an active agent.

This squirting method or syringe method is particularly suitable for theapplication of compositions containing an active agent into the folds offold catheter balloons which cannot be applied onto a catheter balloonor even inside the folds by conventional dipping and spraying methods.

In contrast to the conventionally used solid coatings of stents or oncatheter balloons these oily and pasty coatings and fillings have theadvantage that the compositions containing an active agent don't drycompletely but mostly maintain their consistency. Thus coating solutionsare used preferably which don't harden completely on air or underprotective gas at normal pressure, i.e. after substantially removing apossibly used solvent of the coating solution an oily or pasty coatingremains inside the folds of the catheter balloon after the solvent wasremoved by evaporation or under reduced pressure. Thus coating solutionsare preferred which after removing the optionally used solvent have amelting point or solidification point of less than 20° C., preferablyless than 30° C. and additionally display a thick viscous, oily or pastyconsistency in order that also when storing the coated catheter balloonfor several months up to one year the coating doesn't ooze out of thefolds.

The use of a removable solvent is, however, not compulsory, so that alsophysiologically acceptable solvents or a physiologically acceptablecomponent of the coating solution can be used, such as polyethyleneglycol, glycerine, propylene glycol or the like, which will not beremoved and remains in the coating and keeps the coating in the foldsoily and pasty for the shelf life of the coated medical device.

The enormous advantages of such oily and pasty coatings are evident. Ifthe catheter balloon is inflated or dilated at the stenotic place thisoily and pasty composition is at least partially, but in generalsubstantially transferred onto the vascular wall and serves as a activeagent depot for a delayed release of the active agent to the adjacenttissue for several hours up to days and additionally has the benefit ofdissolving plaques, respectively counteracting the sedimentation ofplaques, and is biologically degraded itself later on without releasingphysiologically critical metabolites. This system perfectly solves theproblem to apply on the one hand a coating safely to the catheterballoon for not being washed away by the bloodstream when beingintroduced or not being transferred when contacting the vascular walland on the other hand to transfer during dilation a sufficient amount ofthe active agent onto the vascular wall in a relatively short time, i.e.in 30 to 300 seconds, i.e. as less as possible coating remains on thecatheter balloon and as much as possible, i.e. at least 50% of thecoating is transferred onto the vascular wall for effectivelycounteracting restenosis.

Such systems cannot only be produced by the squirting method, but alsoby the other coating methods described herein.

Spray Method or Fold Spray Method

In this method a plurality of aligned release apertures is moved or setunder the fold of the fold balloon and a composition containing anactive agent is released concomitantly from the plurality of aperturesinto the respective fold.

The release device includes preferably of 2 to 10 nozzles or releaseapertures which are aligned preferably at equal intervals along thelongitudinal direction of the folds.

This release device is then inserted under the fold of the catheterballoon and the respective fold is filled or coated by concomitantrelease of the composition containing an active agent from the nozzlesor other release apertures.

Similar as in the so-called squirting method the filling of a fold lastsca. 5 to 80 seconds, preferably ca. 15 to 60 seconds and particularlypreferably ca. 25 to 45 seconds when having a fold length of 10 mm andusing 4 release apertures. The release apertures are preferably locatedmainly in the centre of the cavity under the folds.

In thus coating or filling variant it isn't necessary to move therelease device in the fold of the catheter balloon relative to thelongitudinal direction of the fold. In general the catheter balloon andthe release device are fixed during the filling or coating wherein,however, a movement along the longitudinal direction of the fold ispossible. If a relative movement is provided the distance for themovement is preferably not larger than the distance between two nozzlesor release apertures of the release device.

The release device comprises or consists of at least 2 and maximally 10release apertures or nozzles or the like, and preferably of 3 to 6 andparticularly preferably of 4 or 5 release apertures or nozzles or thelike, being preferably evenly distributed over the distance of 10 mm.

The release device has 2 to 10 nozzles or similar apertures beingcapable of releasing the composition containing an active agent evenlyor evenly spraying it into the fold.

In this filling or coating method preferably medium to thin viscouscompositions or solutions of an active agent or of a combination ofactive agents is used which notably contain an alcoholic solvent.Furthermore, coating solutions are preferred which don't hardencompletely but maintain a gel-like, viscous, oily or pasty consistency.Here also the above statements on the squirting method apply, especiallyfor the coating solution and drying.

In this fold spray method the catheter balloon is packed, i.e. deflated.Even a partial or marginal inflation of the catheter balloon is usuallynot needed to open the folds slightly. Nevertheless the filling of thefolds can be carried out with a marginal inflation of the catheterballoon up to maximally 10% of the diameter provided for dilation. Onfilling the folds there can be also a slight widening of the folds byapplying 100 kPa (1 bar) overpressure, preferably 50 kPa (0.5 bar) forwidening the folds slightly.

After filling a fold the catheter balloon is rotated so that the nextfold to be filled lies preferably upside and preferably horizontally.The fold filling or coating procedure will now be repeated.

According to the consistency of the composition containing an activeagent it may be necessary to dry the previously filled fold beforerotating the balloon for filling the next fold. The drying is preferablyachieved by evaporation of the solvent.

Furthermore it is also possible in this method to coat or fillconcomitantly two, more than two or all folds of a catheter balloon ifthe consistency of the composition containing an active agent allows forthat, i.e. if the consistency is not that fluid that the compositionleaks out of the folds which don't lie horizontally. For filling orcoating several or all folds an appropriate circular disposition ofrelease devices corresponding to the number of folds is provided andplaced onto the preferably vertically oriented catheter balloon, and byrotation the release apertures are directed under the folds where theconcomitant release of the composition containing an active agentoccurs.

When all folds of the balloon are filled final drying occurs. Basicallyit is of course not necessary to fill all folds of the fold catheterballoon whereas the filling of all folds, however, is the current andpreferred embodiment, since during dilation a preferably maximal amountof active agent shall be transferred onto the vascular wall in apreferably short time.

After filling the last fold drying occurs of the last folds, i.e. of thecontent of the last fold preferably without vacuum under normal pressureby evaporation of the solvent.

To this preliminary drying a final drying can ensue which is carried outon rotating catheter balloons. If required or desired, a vacuum can beapplied additionally during rotation. This special drying method isdescribed in more detail in the following of the coating methods.

Drag Method or Drop-Drag Method:

A particularly preferred method for overall coating as well as forspecific coating or filling of the folds is the so-called drag method ordrop-drag method.

This method allows for coating a catheter balloon in its packed statewith a fluid composition containing an active agent over the completesurface inside and outside the folding.

In this method a dispensing device in form of a syringe, needle, pipetteor nozzle is approached to a preferably horizontally tethered, fix orpreferably rotating balloon and then a volume of the compositioncontaining an active agent is dispensed in such a way that at the tip ofthe dispensing device a drop is formed which contacts the dispensingdevice as well as the balloon.

For a better performance the dispensing device can be prolonged at theoutlet with a thin wire, thread or spongiform tool so that the liquidcontact between the dispensing device and the balloon is established andmaintained by means of this tool.

Optionally also a dosage needle with a lateral opening or a furcateprotruding can be used.

By a lateral movement of the dispensing device along the longitudinaldirection of the balloon relative to the rotating balloon the drop isdragged and according to the traced section a certain amount of thecomposition containing an active agent dries as a thin film on thetraced surface. Herein the drop size is maintained by redosing thecomposition containing an active agent until the final dosage isreached.

The movement is maintained as long as the complete target surface iscoated and no fluid is present anymore on the balloon surface.

In order to counteract the capillary effect of the folding at theinitial dosis serving for building a drop between the balloon surfaceand the dispensing device the balloon can be bedewed with a suitablesolvent, because thus the folds are already filled with liquid and thecapillary effect does not suction the drop.

As most of the tips of dispensing devices are made of harder or hardmaterials, respectively of a material being redoubtable of damaging theballoon material which may lead to perilous complications duringdilation, a particularly preferred embodiment includes conducting athread or wire at the tip of the dispensing device through thedispensing device or at least the terminal opening of the dispensingdevice, or tethering it there, which then serves for contacting theballoon surface without the tip of the dispensing device contacting theballoon. This thread or wire includes a material that can't damage theballoon material.

Instead of a thread or wire also a sponge or spongiform matter, a pieceof textile or a correspondingly thin dimensioned piece of leather, or abunch of hair or bristles can be used. It is required, however, thatthese tools include materials that don't damage the catheter balloon,i.e. they are not sharp or edged, nor release etching, basic, acid orsticky substances or chemicals which could dissolve completely orpartially, decompose, stiffen, scratch or cut the polymer of thecatheter balloon.

Thus particularly such substances and polymers are preferred asmaterials for these tools from which also textiles, threads, yarns,bristles for brushes can be manufactured.

It is thus achieved that the tip of the dispensing device can be held ata certain distance to the balloon surface and yet the drop and themovement of the drop relative to the balloon surface can be controlledand regulated via the contacting device in form or a thread, wire,sponge, leather strip, bristle or piece of textile.

Basically it doesn't matter whether the dispensing device is moved withthe balloon being stationary or the balloon with a stationary dispensingdevice. A preferred embodiment includes rotating a balloon in ahorizontal position together with a dispensing device disposed fromabove and moving along the longitudinal axis of the balloon. In thisembodiment a spiral coating of the complete surface of the catheterballoon occurs.

In another preferred embodiment the coating of the catheter balloon in ahorizontal position occurs at intervals. The balloon being stationarythe dispensing device moves along the longitudinal direction of thecatheter balloon in an approximately straight line from one end to theother and back, wherein the balloon is rotated about some degrees whenthe dispensing device reaches the distal or proximal end of the catheterballoon. A linear coating of the complete balloon surface occurs throughthis embodiment.

If the dispensing device is set however on a fold and it is moved alongthe fold and this procedure is repeated with the other folds afterrotating the balloon a specific fold-filled catheter balloon results.

Thread Drag Method:

In this method no drop is moved over the surface of the catheter balloonbut a thread connected with the dispensing device, or serving as adispensing device, is dragged over the surface of the balloon or set orstippled onto the balloon surface and can serve also in the inoperativestate for releasing a solution containing an active agent.

In this procedure a solution containing an active agent flows along thethread wherein preferably no drop is formed. The thread is permanentlybedewed with the solution containing an active agent and releases thussolution to the balloon surface as soon as the thread gets in contactwith it.

Also this method has the big advantage that the tip of the dispensingdevice consisting mostly of a hard material doesn't contact the balloonmaterial, similar as in the drop-drag method, and thus no damaging ofthe catheter balloon occurs.

Preferably, the thread is dragged horizontally along the longitudinaldirection while the catheter balloon is rotating, wherein it releases arapidly drying trace of solution containing an active agent.

This method, however, is not limited to an embodiment with a thread, butalso several threads can be moved concomitantly over the balloonsurface, wherein in this case the balloon is preferably verticallypositioned. Moreover, the threads can also be linked or form a mesh.Herein the threads are linked with at least one dispensing device whichcontinuously provides the threads or the mesh with a solution containingan active agent.

This method thus is suitable for the complete or partial coating of theballoon surface. If only the folds should be filled or coated insteadthere is the option of inserting a thread at least partially into thefold, or to place it into the fold when folding the balloon, and let thesolution containing an active agent flow into the fold by means of thisthread, wherein after filling the fold the thread is preferably removed.

Furthermore, for the specific filling of the folds a combination of thepipetting and the thread drag method is particularly suitable, whereinsuch a big amount of the solution containing an active agent is releasedfrom the dispensing device by means of the thread at the proximal ordistal end into the unfilled fold of an inflated catheter balloon thatthe capillary effect suctions the solution into the fold.

The drop-drag method as well as the thread drag method both solveelegantly the problem to coat or fill specifically the balloon surfaceor specifically the folds of the balloon with a defined amount of activeagent without damaging the balloon material. The dispensing device mayhave a volume measuring device which records or displays the releasedamount of solution containing an active agent.

Furthermore, these methods are particularly suitable for coating and/orfilling the folds of a balloon in the deflated (folded) state which isparticularly demanding since the balloon surface of a folded balloon isnot even and the common coating methods for regular-shaped bodies canonly be applied with corresponding problems. Instead in the drop-dragmethod or thread drag method differences in distance between the balloonsurface and the dispensing device are compensated elegantly by thecontacting device in form of a thread, wire, sponge, leather strip,bristle, or piece of textile.

Ballpoint Method or Roll Method:

A preferred variation of the drop-drag method includes using a sphericalcoating ball. The ball has such a diameter that it just can't drop outof the outlet of the coating container. It shuts the containercompletely so that no coating solution can escape between the ball andthe vascular wall. When pressure is applied on this ball when contactingthe object to be coated the ball moves into the container according tothe variably applied pressure and the coating solution can escapebetween the ball and the vascular wall of the solution container. With aconcomitant movement of either the coating container or of the object tobe coated and a desired angle between them the ball rolls on the surfaceand ensures a particularly even coating of the surface. This waydifferent objects can be coated with form fidelity since the ball cantrace the surface like a sensor by means of the adjustable pressure andangle and thus provides a particularly high variability in respect ofthe surfaces to be coated and also of the coating options.

This coating method can be applied excellently especially in catheterballoons since each catheter balloon has a different surface design, isuneven and no balloon surface is equal to another. A preferablyoptically controlled ballpoint coating method offers the option ofcoating any different and uneven as well as unequal surface evenly.Furthermore, the ballpoint for transferring the coating solution has theadvantage that it doesn't damage the surface of the catheter balloon andthe ballpoint respectively the ball can be manufactured of a soft orrubber-like material as e.g. caoutchouc, which is even more saving forthe balloon surface in comparison with a metal ball.

Since moreover the ballpoint can be placed very precisely there arecontrolled starting and end points for the coating. Furthermore thecoating device can be designed in such a way that a three-dimensionalmovement is possible so that the complete catheter balloon can be coatedwithout even once setting off or resetting the ballpoint. After tracingthe balloon surface to be coated in a serpentine way the ballpoint ofthe coating device gets back to the starting point, wherein theinitially coated tracks have dried in the meanwhile and a furthercoating layer can be applied onto the first.

Furthermore a well controllable and even coating results from the rollmovement of the ballpoint, wherein the thickness of the coating layercan be controlled via the pressure applied to the ball and the thrust.

Rotation Drying:

As mentioned above the coated or filled catheter balloons can be driedduring rotation after coating or filling each fold or after coating orfilling all folds or of the folds to be coated or filled if not allfolds shall be coated or filled. This is most of the times indicated asstep f) in the methods.

This rotation drying has several advantages. On the one hand thecomposition containing the active agent is dried and additionally evenlydistributed inside the folds as well as on the surface of the folds.

The rotation drying is particularly suitable for oily or viscouscompositions containing an active agent in order to obtain an evendistribution of the composition in the respective fold, wherein thesecoatings in general don't dry but maintain their viscous, oily, gel-likeor pasty consistency which is also desired and particularly preferred.

Additionally vacuum can be applied during the rotation of the catheterballoon in order to obtain an intensive drying of the compositioncontaining an active agent.

During drying under vacuum especially in viscous, high viscous orsolidifying solutions boiling delays occur, i.e. residuals of thesolvent pocketed in the oil or solid are released spontaneously and tearor bust the coating or filling. By drying under vacuum with aconcomitant rotation these boiling delays are avoided and a dried and/oroily, viscous, gel-like or pasty even coating within of the folds isobtained.

Moreover, the sense of rotation is crucial. The sense of rotation is indirection of the apertures of the folds when regarding them from theinside of the fold. The catheter balloon is thus rotated like the bucketof a bucket-wheel excavator for pressing the composition containing theactive agent into the inside of the folds by means of the rotatoryforce.

Preferably the fold balloon is rotated with a rotatory velocity of 50 to500, preferably 150 to 300 cycles per minute.

According to the active agent to be imported into the folds or accordingto the consistency of the composition containing the active agent to beimported under the folds of a catheter balloon the suitable coatingmethod can be selected.

All coating methods which enable a specific coating or filling of thefolds are suitable, optionally together with a rotation drying method,for obtaining a non-solid but oily, gel-like, pasty or high viscouscoating or filling of the folds.

The fold spray method is preferably suitable for thin to medium viscouscompositions containing an active agent, while the pipetting method ispreferably suitable for light, medium and slightly hard viscouscompositions and the squirting method is particularly well applicablefor medium viscous, viscous to high viscous compositions.

The term viscosity refers to the dynamic viscosity [η]:

$\lbrack\eta\rbrack = {\frac{kg}{m \cdot s} = {{{Pa} \cdot s} = \frac{Ns}{m^{2}}}}$

The squirting method can be preferably used for thick viscouscompositions. Preferred are viscosities at room temperature in the rangeof oils (olive oil: 10² mPa·s), honey (10³ mPa·s), glycerine (1480mPa·s) or syrup (10⁵ mPa·s). This method works of course also in thinviscous solutions with η≦10² mPa·s.

The pipetting method can be used preferably in medium viscous solutions.Preferred are viscosities at room temperature in the range of 0.5 mPa·sto 5000 mPa·s, more preferred in the range of 0.7 mPa·s to 1000 mPa·s,even more preferred in the range of 0.9 mPa·s to 200 mPa·s andparticularly preferred in the range of 1.0 mPa·s to 100 mPa·s. In thisviscosity range oils, contrast media and/or salts can be found which arediluted with common solvents, especially alcohols. The pipetting methodcan be used over a very broad viscosity range.

The fold spray method is preferably used in thin viscous compositions.Preferred are viscosities at room temperature in the range of 0.1 mPa·sto 400 mPa·s, more preferred in the range of 0.2 mPa·s to 100 mPa·s andparticularly preferred in the range of 0.3 mPa·s to 50 mPa·s (water: 1.0mPa·s; kerosene: 0.65 mPa·s; pentane: 0.22 mPa·s; hexane: 0.32 mPa·s;heptane: 0.41 mPa·s; octane: 0.54 mPa·s; nonane: 0.71 mPa·s; chloroform:0.56 mPa·s; ethanol: 1.2 mPa·s; propanol: 2.3 mPa·s; isopropanol: 2.43mPa·s; isobutanol: 3.95 mPa·s; isotridecanol: 42 V mPa·s).

Coated Catheter Balloons

According to the methods disclosed herein catheter balloons without astent and partially also with a stent can be coated and certainembodiments relate to coated catheter balloons which can be obtained bythe methods described herein.

A particularly preferred embodiment uses a catheter balloon with acrimped stent. These stents can be bare non-coated (bare) stents orpreferably stents coated with only one hemocompatible layer. Ashemocompatible layer particularly the heparin and chitosan derivativesdisclosed herein are preferred and primarily desulfated and reacetylatedor re-proprionylated heparin.

Moreover, there is the option of applying under and/or on the layercontaining the transport mediator yet one or more layers of pure activeagent or a polymer or polymer containing an active agent.

On using the fold balloons which form folds when being packed they canbe filled with active agent and transport mediator. Particularly thepipetting method is suitable therefore.

A possibly present solvent can be removed under diminished pressure,thus drying the mixture inside the folds. On dilating such a balloonwhich in general is used without a stent the folds turn or bulge to theoutside and thus release their content to the vascular wall.

The methods are suitable for the coating of guide wires, spirals,catheters, cannulae, tubes and generally tubular implants or parts ofthe aforementioned medical devices if a structural element similar to astent is contained in such a medical device that shall be coated orfilled. Stents and especially such as coronary, vascular, trachea,bronchia, urethra, oesophagus, gall, kidney, small intestine, colonstents for example can be coated.

The coated medical devices are particularly used for keeping allduct-like structures open, for example of the urinary tract, oesophagus,trachea, bile duct, renal tract, blood vessels in the whole bodyincluding the brain, duodenum, pylorus, small and large intestine, butalso for keeping open artificial outlets, as being used for theintestine or the trachea.

Thus the coated medical devices are suitable for the prevention,reduction or treatment of stenoses, restenoses, atherosclerosis and allother forms of occluded vessels or stenoses of passages or outlets.

The balloon catheters without a stent are particularly suitable for thetreatment of in-stent stenosis, i.e. or the treatment of recurringvessel stenoses inside an already implanted stent which preferably isnot bioresorbable. In such in-stent restenoses the placement of anotherstent inside the already existing stent is particularly problematic asthe vessel in general can only poorly be widened by the second stent.Herein the application of an active agent by means of balloon dilationoffers an ideal treatment method since this treatment can be repeatedseveral times, if necessary, and from a therapeutic point of view mayobtain the same or significantly better results than another stentimplantation.

Furthermore the catheter balloons without a crimped stent areparticularly suitable for the treatment of small vessels, preferablysmall blood vessels. Small vessels refer to those vessels with a vesseldiameter less than 2.5 mm, preferably less than 2.2 mm.

To resume, for the use of selected matrices and excipients the followingapplies:

The abovementioned matrices and excipients as well as their mixtures andcombinations preferably have at least one of the followingcharacteristics for successful local application of one or more activeagents:

-   1) the exposure time of the short-term implant is sufficient for the    transfer of a suitable therapeutic amount of the active agent into    the cells,-   2) during exposure a sufficient amount of coating material    containing the active agent adheres to the vascular wall for    ensuring the desired therapeutic effect, and it is particularly    preferred-   3) that the coating containing the active agent and present on the    short-term implant displays a higher affinity to the vascular wall    than to the surface of the implant so that an optimal transfer of    the active agent onto the target can occur. This works excellently    mainly for pasty, gel-like or oily coatings.

Of course in all cases a coated or uncoated stent can build a systemwith the balloon catheter, depending on the individual requirements.Likewise other excipients as e.g. the imaging agents can be added, ifneeded.

For example the exposure time of the particularly preferred embodimentof a balloon catheter coated by the spray method with paclitaxel isalready sufficient for applying a therapeutic amount of paclitaxel whichwas sedimented amorphously by the spray method onto and into the cellwall. Here, a stent rendered hemocompatible with a semi-syntheticoligosaccharide and likewise coated with paclitaxel serves as a storefor the elution of further amounts of active agent provided for a longertime span.

Because of the amorphous consistency of paclitaxel on the stent and thecatheter balloon obtained from the special spray method paclitaxel isnot flushed or washed away from the surface during the introduction ofthe catheter so that the desired amount of active agent reaches itstarget and is released there by dilation to the vascular wall. Becauseof the concomitant coating of the stent and the catheter balloon thevessel is completely covered with active agent. It is preferred furtherthat the catheter balloon is also coated with paclitaxel in the sectionsextending the stent ends so that a supply of the vessel with paclitaxel(or instead of paclitaxel any other active agent) occurs also in thesection of the stent ends and beyond for 1 to 3 mm in proximal anddistal direction. Also here the amorphous structure of paclitaxel is ofuttermost importance because only thereby the surface of the layer withthe active agent is thus enlarged that an optimal amount of the activeagent adheres to the cell wall and can enter the cell wall respectivelythe cells.

The addition of a vasodilator directly acting on the cell wall or of acarrier easily permeating the membrane (e.g. DMSO, PETN, lecithin) canstill enhance significantly the uptake into the cells during anaccumulated exposure time of preferably 30 to 300 seconds.

In another particularly preferred embodiment of substance-elutingballoon catheter the active agent is solved together with a hydrophobiclong-chained fatty acid, e.g. isopropyl myristate, in a suitable solventand applied to the surface of the catheter balloon. For coating allcoating methods described in the following are suitable. The addition ofthe fatty acid enables the transfer of the coating material from thesurface of the catheter onto the vascular wall, wherein the amount ofthe transferred substance-eluting matrix is sufficient to provide theactive agent in a sufficient concentration as well as to prevent thatthe matrix is instantaneously washed away in the blood stream.

A further particularly preferred embodiment includes the use of mixturewith high affinity to the cell wall of the polysaccharide carrageenan,phosphatidylcholine, one of the major components of cell membranes, as amembrane-permeating substance and glycerine that because of itsexcellent adhesive properties allows for a delayed release of the activeagent of up to 12 hours after dilating the vessel. All coating methodsare suitable for this embodiment, particularly preferred are thepipetting, thread drag and ballpoint method described herein.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows a balloon catheter coated with paclitaxel in PEG(amplification 80×).

FIG. 2 shows a balloon catheter coated with paclitaxel in ethanol(amplification 40×).

FIG. 3 shows a balloon catheter coated with paclitaxel and PVP afterexpansion (amplification 80×).

FIG. 4 shows a 4*20 mm balloon with paclitaxel in chloroform low doseafter expansion (amplification 40×).

FIG. 5 shows a coating device according to the ballpoint method, whereinthe coating solution is inside the coating device and is released via arotatable ball onto the surface to be coated.

EXAMPLES Example 1

A gene encoding for hemoxygenase HO-2 is embedded in pAH 9 vector. Theplasmids are stored in lipid vesicles by using di-ethers ortetra-ethers. To the resulting emulsion a biopolymer paclitaxel orrapamycin are added. As biopolymers heparin, heparan sulfates orderivatives of heparin or heparan sulfates such as desulfated heparinare used.

After adding desulfated heparin the thin viscous mixture is firstapplied via dipping method on a catheter balloon in its packed form.Therefore the catheter balloon is inserted vertically into the dippingsolution and slowly (v<1 mm/s) and vertically pulled out of the solutionso that an equal bubble-free film can form on the surface of thecatheter.

After a short drying time of max. 30 minutes particularly the folds arerefilled again with the pipetting method to ensure a complete coatingand an optimal loading of the balloon catheter with rapamycin. To thisend the coated balloon catheter is disposed on a rotation motor with atilt angle of 25° in such a way that the balloon catheter cannot bend.The dosage syringe ending in a blunt cannula is positioned in such a waythat it is inserted from the superior fold end into the fold and adefined amount of the coating solution is released into the fold.

After filling the fold the balloon catheter is rotated about itslongitudinal axis after waiting for up to 30 sec., so that the next foldcan be filled.

By aid of the tilt angle the capillary effect and gravitation can beused to fill the fold completely or partially, according to the desiredrapamycin dosage.

At the moment of dilating the balloon in the interior of the vessel theliposome complexes contact the cell wall and fusion with the lipophiliccell membrane. In the cell endosomes transport the lipoplexes to thenucleus. The inducible DNA is not incorporated into the chromosomal DNAof the cell but remains active in the nucleus as independent so-calledepisomal plasmid DNA. A section of the plasmid DNA shaped as a promoterstarts the synthesis of hemoxygenase 1 which then produces CO.

Example 1a

The complete and equal coating of the folds is possible by mounting theballoon catheter to the rotation motor in such a way that it is tetheredhorizontally without bending or sagging. The fold to be coated liesupside so that it can't bend sideways.

Now the coating cannula is positioned in such a way that it captures thefold during the movement from the proximal to the distal end and back insuch a way that only that part of the fold material is lifted that isfilled concomitantly with the coating solution during the movement ofthe cannula along the fold.

Thus an even distribution of the coating solution is obtained from thebeginning to the end of the fold.

The velocity with which the cannula moves horizontally along the foldand the depth of penetration into the fold are thus adjusted, that thefold closes evenly after the filling step.

The drying of the balloon catheters filled in such a way is achieved byrotation drying at room temperature.

Example 2

NO synthase III is produced recombinantly according to the protocol inBiochemistry 2002. 30, 41(30), 9286-9830 and MPMI Vol. 16, No. 12, 2003,pp. 1094-1104.

The recombinant NOS III is solved in a predominantly aqueous medium.Co-solvents up to 15 vol. %, preferably up to 9 vol. %, can be added tothe watery solution. As co-solvents tetrahydrofuran (THF), propanol,isopropanol, ethanol, methanol, dimethyl formamide (DMF), dimethylsulfamide (DMSO), acetone or acetic acid are suitable.

Furthermore, an excess of L-arginine as well as 15 mg simvastatin per mlsolution are added to the watery solution with 10 vol. % DMSO.

A biologically degradable polymer is added to the resulting solution.Preferred resorbable polymers are polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA),polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyurethanes, polyvinyl chloride (PVC),polyvinyl pyrrolidones, polyethylene glycols, polydimethyl siloxanes(PDMS), polyesters, nylons, polyethylene oxide and polylactides.Particularly preferred are polyvinyl pyrrolidones, polyethylene glycols,polyesters, polylactides as well co-polymers of diols and esters,respectively diols and lactides. As diols ethane-1,2-diol,propane-1,3-diol or butane-1,4-diol are used for example.

In the present case polyvinyl pyrrolidone and fasudil are added to theaqueous solution so that a 1% polymer-containing viscous solutionresults. A catheter balloon with a crimped stent is coated several timescompletely with this solution by means of the thread drag method.

The balloon catheter with the crimped stent is mounted via an adapteronto the drive shaft of the rotation motor and tethered in such a waythat it is positioned horizontally without bending.

Through a dosage needle and the welded on drag wire one drop of solutionis dragged over the rotating balloon until a coherent coating forms.After that the still rotating catheter/stent system is exposed to aslight warm airflow for a preliminary drying so that a high viscousnon-fluid surface forms. Subsequently it is dried at room temperature.

The stent as well as the coating can be resorbable and can be degradedslowly after incorporation into the cell wall. Especially during thefirst 10 days after implantation NOS III provides a sufficient amount ofNO which positively influences and regulates the healing process of thecell wall and the cell growth.

Example 3

A catheter balloon is coated with a biostable coating of cellulosenitrate via the drop-drag method.

For this purpose the catheter is fixed into the adapter of the rotationmotor in such a way that he is tethered horizontally without a bendingor sagging being possible. The dispensing device is tethered over theballoon in such a way that the distance of the pipette through which thecoating solution escapes has just the size that the escaping dropcontacts the surface of the balloon without detaching from the pipettetip. The velocity by which the coating solution escapes is adjusted insuch a way that the drop cannot pull off during the longitudinalmovement of the catheter balloon. When the upper surface of the balloonis coated completely in such a way the balloon is rotated so far thatthe adjacent sector can be coated in the same longitudinal direction.The procedure is repeated as often until the balloon catheter hasperformed a complete cycle.

On this layer the enzyme NOS III or HO-1 is immobilized by cross-linkingit with glutardialdehyde after the application. Nevertheless the enzymekeeps a sufficient degree of activity for building CO respectively NOafter the implantation of the stent.

On this layer a pure layer of active agent out of paclitaxel is applied.

If necessary the paclitaxel substance layer may be coated with a barrierlayer of polylactides, polyglycolides, polyanhydrides, poyphosphazenes,polyorthoesters, polysaccharides, polynucleotides, polypeptides,polyolefins, vynylchloride polymers, fluorine-containing polymers,teflon, polyvinylacetates, polyvinylalcohols, polyvinylacetals,polyacrylates, polymethacrylates, polystyrene, polyamides, polyimides,polyacetals, polycarbonates, polyesters, polyurethanes, polyisocyanates,polysilicones as well as co-polymers and mixtures of these polymers.

Example 4

A hemoglobin derivative is produced according to embodiment 1 or 2 of WO02/00230 A1. The resulting hemoglobin polymer was used in three seriesof experiments.

One fraction of the hemoglobin polymers was saturated with CO. Anotherfraction was saturated with NO and the remaining fraction was saturatedwith a mixture of CO and NO, Thereafter the active agent paclitaxel wasadded to each fraction.

A catheter balloon was coated with a biostable polymer coating. In thepresent case a polyvinyl ester was used as biostable polymer. On thispolymeric layer the CO-saturated hemoglobin polymers were applied bymeans of the spray method under CO atmosphere, dried and stored under COatmosphere.

The NO saturated hemoglobin polymers were used for coating a catheterballoon together with a crimped cobalt/chromium stent. To this end theNO saturated hemoglobin polymers were mixed in an aqueous solutiontogether with a polylactides, paclitaxel was added applied onto theballoon including the stent via the roll method, wherein he roll and thedrying method were repeated three times each. The coating procedure wascarried out under argon as inert gas and the catheter balloons includingthe stents were then stored under argon.

The balloon catheter with the crimped stent is fixed in a horizontalposition. The dispensing device for the coating solution is disposedsuch a way that it can be moved along the longitudinal direction of thecatheter and vertically to it. Herein the vertical movement iscontrolled via a fix application of pressure to the ball in such a waythat the pressure through the contact with the surface to be coated onthe ball of the outlet is always exerted equally and thus always thesame amount of the coating solution escapes. This ensures that duringthe same time always the same amount of coating solution is applied ontothe surface of the catheter balloon as well as of the stent and thestent spacings.

During the coating the ball is pressed in corresponding to the adjustedpressure when contacting the surface to such a degree that the solutionescapes of the outlet along the ball. Through a concomitant evenmovement of the catheter/stent in the longitudinal direction the ball ismoved and distributes the coating solution evenly on the surface by theroll movement.

The tracing of the surface us carried out under a concomitant slightrotation of the catheter about its longitudinal axis so that the coatingof the complete surface of the catheter can be carried out withoutinterrupting the roll movement of the ball-shaped outlet.

The NO and CO saturated hemoglobin polymers were mixed in an aqueoussolution together with a polyglycolide and paclitaxel and then used as ahigh viscous spray solution for the specific coating of the folds of acatheter balloon. To this end the balloon is tethered horizontally andinflated to such a small degree that the folds start opening. By meansof a nozzle the coating solution can now be applied in an adjusteddispense amount along the fold at the bottom of the fold while theballoon catheter rotates about its longitudinal axis. Since the coatingpaste sticks to the bottom of the fold the balloon catheter can besafely rotated immediately after filling each fold for filling the nextfold.

After removing the slight overpressure the folds can be brought backinto their initial position. A drying procedure is not necessary in thisexample.

Example 5

In another embodiment CO or NO or a mixture of CO and NO is releasedfrom the inside of the catheter balloon through a plurality of micro-and nano-pores during dilation and on the one hand supports thedetachment of the coating on the catheter balloon from the balloonsurface during dilation and on the other hand the uptake of the activeagent in the coating on the balloon surface into the vascular wall as avasodilator. On the balloon surface there is preferably a polymericcoating containing one or more active agents which counteract or preventa re-occlusion or a restenosis of the vessel.

Example 6a

The balloon catheter is coated all over with an alcoholic solution of aniodine-containing contrast medium and paclitaxel (respectively anotheractive agent or combination of active agents) via the thread dragmethod.

For this end a 2% solution of contrast medium is produced in which suchan amount of paclitaxel is solved that a 30% solution of the activeagent results.

The balloon is coated completely with this solution and then dried underslow rotation about the longitudinal axis at room temperature for atleast three hours. This procedure is repeated at least one time.

After complete drying the balloon catheter coated such a way with activeagent is coated with a 1% PVA solution, for example with a topcoat, inthe same way or by another suitable method such as the roll method.

Example 7a

The fold balloon expanded to nominal pressure is dipped into a 1%dipping solution of paclitaxel and chloroform for 5-10 s andsubsequently dried under rotation about the longitudinal axis to such adegree that the major portion of the chloroform has evaporated. Before acomplete drying the balloon is deflated again in the air stream.

Example 7b

The fold balloon is tethered in a horizontal position on the rotatableaxis so that the fold to be filled is always lying upside. Thus step bystep each fold is filled with a solution containing an active agent(e.g. from example 17) which displays a honey- or syrup-like viscosity(viscosities from 10² to 10⁵ mPa·s) from the beginning to the end of thefold by means of a teflon cannula as enlargement of a needle syringe.

For this end the teflon cannula is conducted to the centre of the cavityformed by the fold, and during the movement of the horizontally tetheredcatheter in its longitudinal direction a defined amount of a highviscous solution is released into the fold cavity (squirting method).The amount of the filled material is limited in such a way that the folddoesn't lift from the balloon body after filling and variescorresponding to different balloon dimensions and manufacturers.

Example 7c

The balloon from Example 7a, loaded with active agent and re-deflatedlike the fold balloon from Example 7b partially loaded with activeagent, can be coated in a second step through the spray method with apolymeric outer layer as a barrier. For this end the concentration ofthe polymeric spray solution must be kept so small that the polymericlayer obtained after drying does not hamper a regular unfolding. Forexample, a 0.5% PVP solution is already apt therefore.

Example 8

A catheter balloon is coated with a layer of pure active agent ofpaclitaxel. Then the catheter balloon is provided with a protectivewrapper for preventing premature detachment of the active agent, as usedin self-expanding Nitinol stents. The protective wrapper can be removedin vivo immediately before dilation.

Example 9

A solution of desulfated heparin is prepared in a methanol/ethanolmixture and acidified with acetic acid so that a pH value of 3 to 5results. Paclitaxel is added to this solution. A catheter balloon iscoated with this solution and subsequently a slight cross-linking of thedried coating on the balloon with glutaraldehyde is carried out.

Example 10

A conventional catheter balloon is preferably coated in a first stepwith a lubricant such as graphite or a stearate, and subsequently coatedpreferably by the squirting method with a viscous mixture of an oil orfat and an active agent such as rapamycin or paclitaxel.

If necessary, a slight hardening can be performed by autopolymerizationinitiated by oxygen molecules or radiation and/or radical formers. Thusa smooth surface results on the surface of the catheter balloon which ingeneral doesn't need further protection from premature detachment. Thecatheter balloon can be advanced in its present form to the stenoticsection of the vessel and there the transfer of the coating onto thevascular wall can be effected by dilating the balloon, wherein thelubricant directly on the balloon surface promotes the detachment of theoily coating.

Example 11

Magnetic particles in the nanometer to micrometer range with aniron-containing core are provided according to known methods with anouter shell containing carboxyl groups. Paclitaxel is added to thesemagnetic particles in a methanol/ethanol mixture and then the alcoholicsolution is used for coating the catheter balloon.

The coating solution can be applied by the spray method because of itslow viscosity. If preferably the folds of a balloon are coated with thissolution the fold spray method is particularly suitable. If a dispensethrough several nozzles is performed concomitantly so that the fold issprayed concomitantly along its entire fold length a preliminary dryingcan occur when working in a warm gentle airstream so that all folds ofthe balloon can be coated in the shortest time. Then a rotation dryingoccurs.

On dilating the coated catheter balloons an external magnetic field isapplied which immobilizes the magnetic particles at the stenotic sectionand thus fosters the uptake into the smooth muscle cells.

Example 12

Magnetic ferrite particles are provided with an organic shell containingthe active agent paclitaxel. The magnetic particles are applied on acatheter balloon in the interior of which a magnetic field can begenerated for immobilizing the magnetic particles.

On dilating the catheter balloon the magnetic field is reversed inpolarity and thus leads to a repulsion of the magnetic particles fromthe balloon surface and to an enhanced uptake into smooth muscle cells.

Example 13

Paclitaxel is solved in DMSO containing ca. 10 vol. % water. Potassiumoxalate, sodium chloride, glutaminic acid and oxalic acid are added tothis solution and the catheter balloon is coated several times with thissolution by using the thread drag method and dried after the coating.Subsequently, the coated catheter balloon is provided with abiodegradable layer of a lactam.

Example 14

A mixture of sodium stearate, potassium valerate, malonic acid andpaclitaxel in ethylene glycol, ethanol and water is prepared, filledinto a pipette and squirted by means of the pipette under the folds of afold balloon. After drying a powdery coating of the fold interspacesresults, which is easily detached on dilating the balloon.

Example 15

Paclitaxel is mixed with magnesium sulfate, potassium chloride, lithiumchloride and sodium acetate and worked up to a paste by adding analcoholic solvent, and for dilution possibly a contrast medium, whichthen is filled into a syringe and is squirted under the folds of a foldballoon and is going to dry there in the air until a brittle coatingresults. During coating the tip of the squirting nozzle traces along thefold applying a layer of paste in the fold along the longitudinaldirection of the fold.

Example 16

A thin viscous alcoholic solution of paclitaxel is prepared which is sothin viscous that the solution is dragged into the folds by itselfthrough capillary forces. By means of a capillary set on an end of thefold the alcoholic paclitaxel solution is let to flow into the folduntil the inner space of the fold is filled completely by capillaryforces. The content of the fold is left for drying, the balloon isrotated and the next fold filled. Each fold is filled only once.

Example 17

A mixture of 70% linseed oil and 30% olive oil is prepared. This mixtureis solved in a ratio of 1:1 in chloroform and after adding paclitaxel(25 weight percentage) applied onto an evenly rotating catheter balloonby means of the roll method. After evaporating chloroform in a gentleairstream the balloon catheter is stored in a drying closet at 70° C. sothat a surface is provided which is already adhesive but smooth, highlyviscous and thus not impeding on expanding the balloon.

Example 18

A cobalt/chromium stent is crimped into a catheter balloon of polyimide.

Now a solution of paclitaxel in DMSO is applied onto the stent by meansof a syringe. The solution is so thin viscous that it flows between theclosely fitting struts of the stent and fills the interspaces betweenthe balloon surface and the inner surface of the stent as well asbetween the single struts of the stent. The solvent evaporates and thepure active agent sediments as a solid onto the catheter balloon underthe stent, in the stent interspaces and on the stent and the balloonsurface. The catheter balloon is coated with active agent at both endsof the stent for ca. 2 to 3 mm beyond the stent ends.

Example 19

A rapamycin solution is prepared in ethanol and the solution is sprayedseveral times on a catheter balloon without a stent, the catheterballoon is dried in the meantime by letting the solvent evaporate.

After repeating the spray coating three times the catheter balloon isfinally dried and an uncoated metal stent is crimped onto the balloon.

Example 20

A commercially available catheter balloon is coated with an amount of 3μg paclitaxel per mm² balloon surface. The coating is done with thepipetting method by using a solution of paclitaxel in DMSO. The DMSOsolution may additionally contain salts up to 1 mg per ml, such assodium acetate and preferably acid as well as neutral amino acids. Thenthe uncoated cobalt/chromium metal stent is crimped onto the coatedcatheter balloon.

Example 21

A catheter balloon with a crimped uncoated metal stent is coated with asolution of paclitaxel in DMSO by means of the drop-drag method. Thecoating procedure is repeated three to four times until the interspacesbetween the balloon surface and the inner surface of the stent as wellas the interspaces of the single struts of the stent are visibly filledwith active agent.

If desired, a protective layer of a polylactide for example can beapplied additionally onto the layer with the active agent paclitaxel.

Example 22

A commercially available catheter balloon is coated with a dispersion ofpaclitaxel in acetic acid ethyl ester with 5 vol. % acetic acid so thatan amount of 2-3 μg paclitaxel per mm² balloon surface results. Abioresorbable stent of polyhydroxybutyrate is crimped onto the coatedballoon surface.

Example 23

Onto a catheter balloon coated in its folds with paclitaxel via thecapillary method and having an amount of 1-2 μg paclitaxel per mm² folda titanium stent is crimped which is coated with a polymeric carriersystem of a polyether sulfone containing the active agent paclitaxel ina preferably cytostatic dosage. The titanium stent was previously coatedwith a solution of paclitaxel and the polyether sulfone in methylenechloride via the pipetting method. On the titanium stent there are ca.0.5 μg paclitaxel per mm² stent surface.

Example 24

A catheter balloon coated with rapamycin embedded in apolylactide-polyglycolide polymer is provided. Now a bioresorbable stentof polylactide is crimped onto this catheter balloon which is coatedwith polylactide containing paclitaxel in an amount of ca. 1.0 μg permm² stent surface.

Example 25

A non-dilated fold balloon is coated completely with an active agent andan excipient as carrier by means of the described pipetting method.

For this end 150 mg sirolimus are solved in 4.5 ml acetone and mixedwith a solution of 100 μl isopropyl myristate in 450 μl ethanol. Afterapplying the solution the fold balloon is dried over night.

Example 26

The fold balloon coated according to Example 25 is introduced into a PBSfilled silicon tube and then expanded to nominal pressure for 60 sec.

Subsequently, the sirolimus content remaining on the balloon catheter,the portion solved in the PBS buffer and the content of active agentadhering to the inner surface of the tube are determined afterextraction with acetonitrile by means of HPLC measurement:

Determining the sirolimus content after expanding the fold balloon bymeans of HPLC measurement [in %] on the fold balloon in PBS buffer onthe inner surface of the tube 35.2% 17.3% 47.5%

Example 27 Coating of a Catheter with the Thread Drag Method

When initiating the rotation of the catheter a slight negative pressureis drawn upon the balloon so that the folds don't bend during therotational movement of the balloon about its own longitudinal axis.Subsequently the balloon is pre-bedewed with the wetting solution.Immediately after the coating procedure is carried out. A drop ofsolution is dragged over the balloon through the dispensing needle andthe welded on dragging wire until the solvent evaporates to such adegree that a solid coating is formed.

After ending the adjusted overcoatings the catheter keeps on rotatingfor some seconds. Subsequently the catheter is removed from the deviceand dried at room temperature.

Example 28 Covalent Hemocompatible Coating of Stents

Non-expanded cleansed stents of medical stainless steel LVM 316 aredipped into a 2% solution of 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane in anethanol/water mixture (50/50 (v/v)) for 5 minutes and subsequentlydried. Then the stents are washed over night with demineralised water.

3 mg desulfated and reacetylated heparin are solved in 30 ml 0.1 M MESbuffer (2-(N-morpholino)ethane sulfonic acid at pH 4.75 and then 30 mgN-cyclohexyl-N′-(2-morpholinoethyl)carbodiimide-methyl-p-toluolsulfonate are added. The stents are stirred in this solution over nightat 4° C. Subsequently they are washed intensively with water and 4M NaClsolution.

Example 29

The cleansed respectively covalently coated stents are crimped onto theballoon catheter and coated together with a spray solution containing anactive agent by means of the thread drag method.

Preparation of the spray solution: 44 mg taxol are solved in 6 gchloroform.

Example 30

Coating of a hemocompatibly furnished stent with a matrix containing anactive agent by means of the roll method

Coating solution: a polylactide RG5032/taxol solution of 145.2 mgpolylactide and 48.4 mg taxol are filled up to 22 g with chloroform.

Example 31

Coating of the all-in system stent+balloon with a matrix loaded withactive agent as basic coat and the active agent as top coat

Basic coat 19.8 mg linseed oil and 6.6 mg taxol are filled up to 3 gwith chloroform

Top coat: 8.8 mg taxol are filled up to 2 g with chloroform

The balloon catheter with a crimped stent is coated with the basic coatby means of the drop-drag method. As soon as this basic coat becomes ahigh viscous film by evaporation of the solvent on the system surfacethe second layer with the pure active agent can be sprayed on.

Example 32

Coating of a balloon catheter with a cell affine matrix containing anactive agent

The balloon catheter is mounted by means of an adapter onto the driveshaft of a rotation motor and fixed in such a way that it stays in ahorizontal position without bending. After applying a slight negativepressure on the balloon the balloon is coated with the solutionaccording to the adjusted number of balloon tracings.

Coating solution: Carrageenan, phosphatidylcholine and glycerine (1:2:2)are solved in ethanol/water (1:1; v:v)

Thread Drag Method:

A drop of solution is dragged over the rotating balloon through thedispensing needle and the welded on drag wire until the solvent isevaporated that much that a solid coating has formed. Subsequently, thecatheter is removed from the device and dried over night at roomtemperature under continuous rotation.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method for coating a catheter balloonwith a defined amount of a pharmacologically active agent, wherein thecoating method uses a coating device with a volume measuring device forreleasing a measurable amount of a coating solution by means of adispensing device specifically in liquid contact with the surface of thecatheter balloon, wherein the coating solution comprises at least onepharmacologically active agent.
 2. The method according to claim 1,wherein the dispensing device is a nozzle, a plurality of nozzles, athread, a mesh of threads, a piece of textile, a leather strip, asponge, a ball, a syringe, a needle, a cannula or a capillary.
 3. Themethod according to claim 1, wherein the coating method is a squirtingmethod, a pipetting method, a capillary method, a fold spray method, adrag method, a thread drag method or roll method.
 4. The methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the coating solution contains at least onetransport mediator, citrate ester, contrast medium, polymer,polysaccharide, peptide, nucleotide, oil, fat, wax, fatty acid, fattyacid ester, hydrogel, salt, solvent, pharmacologically acceptableexcipient or a mixture of the aforementioned substances.
 5. The methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the coating solution comprises at leastone citrate ester.
 6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the citrateester is acetyl tributyl citrate or acetyl triethyl citrate or a citrateester of the formula

wherein R, R′, and R″ are independently from each other hydrogen or analkyl, arylalkyl or cycloalkyl residue which are linear or branched,saturated or unsaturated, and unsubstituted or substituted with at leastone functional group.
 7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the atleast one active agent comprises paclitaxel or rapamycin.
 8. A methodfor coating a catheter balloon with a defined amount of apharmacologically active agent, the method, comprising: a) providing acatheter balloon in a folded, partially inflated or completely inflatedstate, b) providing a coating device with a dispensing device, c)dispensing a measured amount of a coating solution from the dispensingdevice; d) establishing a liquid interface between the dispensing deviceand the balloon through the dispensed coating solution, wherein thedispensed coating solution contacts the dispensing device and balloon,e) providing relative motion between the dispensing device and thesurface of the catheter balloon to be coated while maintaining aconstant volume of the coating solution at a the liquid interfacebetween the dispensing device and the balloon and without the dispensingdevice itself contacting the surface of the catheter balloon, and f)redosing the coating solution so that the volume of the coating solutionat the liquid contact substantially maintains a constant volume of thecoating solution at the liquid contact between the dispensing device andthe balloon.
 9. The method according to claim 8, wherein specificallyonly the folds of the catheter balloon are filled by dragging the dropover the opening of the fold.
 10. The method according to claim 8,wherein the surface of the catheter balloon is bedewed before coatingwith a solvent.
 11. The method according to claim 8, wherein thedispensing device is a needle, syringe, cannula, pipette or nozzle. 12.The method according to claim 8, wherein the liquid interface is in theform of a drop.
 13. A method for coating a catheter balloon with adefined amount of a pharmacologically active agent, the method,comprising: a) providing a catheter balloon in a folded, partiallyinflated or completely inflated state, b) providing a coating devicewith a dispensing device in form of a thread, sponge, leather strip orpiece of textile, c) providing a coating solution, d) wetting thedispensing device with the coating solution, e) transferring the coatingsolution from the dispensing device onto the surface of the catheterballoon to be coated, and f) redosing of the coating solution so that aconsistent dispense of the coating solution from the dispensing deviceonto the surface of the catheter balloon to be coated occurs.
 14. Themethod according to claim 13, wherein the transfer of the coatingsolution from the dispensing device onto the surface of the catheterballoon to be coated is effected according to step e) by dragging thedispensing device over the surface of the catheter balloon to be coated.15. The method according to claim 13, wherein specifically only thefolds of the catheter balloon are filled by dragging the dispensingdevice over the opening of the fold or through the folds.
 16. The methodaccording to claim 13, wherein the surface of the catheter balloon isbedewed before coating with a solvent.
 17. The method according to claim13, wherein the dispensing device comprises a material that doesn'tdamage the catheter balloon.
 18. The method according to claim 13,wherein all folds of the catheter balloon are coated or filledconcomitantly.
 19. The method according to claim 13, wherein thecomplete surface of the catheter balloon is coated concomitantly by aplurality of threads, leather strips, a piece of textile or a mesh ofthreads.
 20. A method for coating a catheter balloon with a definedamount of a pharmacologically active agent, the method, comprising: a)providing a coating device with a ballpoint for transferring the coatingsolution onto the surface of the catheter balloon to be coated, b)providing a coating solution with access to the ballpoint, c) settingthe ballpoint of the coating device onto the surface of the catheterballoon to be coated, d) exerting a pressure on the ballpoint of thecoating device for enabling the outflow of the coating solution, and e)tracing the surface of the catheter balloon to be coated with theballpoint thus transferring the coating solution onto the surface of thecatheter balloon to be coated.
 21. The method according to claim 20,wherein the complete surface of the catheter balloon to be coated istraced and coated by the ball in one pass.
 22. The method according toclaim 20, wherein the thickness of the layer is controlled through thepressure exerted on the ballpoint and the displacement velocity of theballpoint over the surface of the catheter balloon to be coated.
 23. Adevice for the coating of surfaces of catheter balloons comprising acoating device with a ballpoint having a feed line for the coatingsolution onto the ballpoint and a control for setting the ballpoint onthe surface of the catheter balloon and for tracing the surface of thecatheter balloon to be coated with the ballpoint.
 24. The deviceaccording to claim 23, wherein the ballpoint comprises a rubber-likematerial and not of a metal.
 25. A coated catheter balloon produced bythe method of claim
 8. 26. A coated catheter balloon produced by themethod of claim
 13. 27. A coated catheter balloon produced by the methodof claim
 20. 28. An apparatus for dispensing a coating solution on thesurface of a catheter balloon, the apparatus comprising: a volumetricmetering dispenser; a coating solution storage container connected tothe metering dispenser; an apparatus that rotates a catheter having saidcatheter balloon thereon around its longitudinal axis and providesrelative movement between the catheter balloon and the meteringdispenser in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the balloon; andwherein the metering dispenser includes a wettable flexible tail thatcontacts the medical device to transfer the coating solution.
 29. Amethod for preparing a substantially uniform coated medical device,comprising: (1) preparing a coating solution comprising a solvent, atherapeutic agent, and an additive which is a transport agent, citrateester, contrast medium, polymer, polysaccharide, peptide, nucleotide,oil, fat, wax, fatty acid, fatty acid ester, hydrogel, salt, solvent,pharmacologically acceptable adjuvant or a mixture of aforesaidsubstances; (2) loading a metering dispenser with the coating solution;(3) rotating the medical device about the longitudinal axis of themedical device and providing relative linear movement between thecatheter balloon and the metering dispenser in the direction of thelongitudinal axis of the medical device; (4) dispensing the coatingsolution from the metering dispenser onto a surface of the medicaldevice and flowing the coating solution on the surface of the medicaldevice while the medical device is rotating and said relative linearmovement is provided; and (5) evaporating the solvent, forming asubstantially uniform coating layer on the medical device.
 30. Themethod according to claim 29, wherein the medical device is a catheterballoon.
 31. The method according to claim 29, wherein the meteringdispenser comprises a dispensing tip, wherein the dispensing tipincludes a tip and a flexible tail, and wherein in step (4) the methodfurther comprises dispensing the coating solution from the meteringdispenser to the flexible tail and flowing the coating solution from theflexible tail onto the surface of the medical device while the medicaldevice is rotating and/or linearly moving.
 32. The method of claim 29,wherein the metering device comprises a syringe or pipette.
 33. Themethod according to claim 29, wherein steps (2), (3), (4) and (5) occurconcomitantly.